argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
Channel Crossings in Small Boats — House of Lords, 2020-09-03
Topic: Immigration
Vivienne Faull (Bishops, Unknown): My Lords, the Minister referred to the refugee resettlement scheme. However, as far as we can tell, refugee resettlement remains paused since March. Can she tell me what plans the Government have to launch the new global resettlement scheme and why they have continued deportations and not inward refugee resettlement?
Civil Procedure (Amendment No. 4) (Coronavirus) Rules 2020 — House of Lords, 2020-09-23
Topic: Housing
James Langstaff (Bishops, Unknown): My Lords, it is always good to follow the noble Lord, Lord Best, with his knowledge of this area. I am aware of the importance of this matter for both landlord and tenants. I am grateful for many of the measures that have been in place hitherto and many of the protections and mitigations which will continue under these rules. However, to pick up a point made by the noble Lord, Lord Best, I am concerned about those who may now find themselves in significant arrears, not least because of the pandemic. I think we will find there are many more in this situation than there were some months ago. This will disproportionately affect those from the most vulnerable groups in our midst, including migrants and those with mental health conditions A few months ago, the Everyone In initiative was in very many ways an astounding success and something of which the Government and others can, rightly, be proud. I would not want to see that being reversed by the effects of what is now being proposed, whether intended or not. My anxiety is that, just as infection rates may be rising, so evictions could reverse the good work that was done by putting people back on the streets. I will listen carefully to the debate. I hope for reassurance from the Minister but I have an inclination to vote for the regret Motion to give judges greater discretion in this matter.
Covid-19 — House of Lords, 2020-09-23
Topic: Civil Rights
James Langstaff (Bishops, Unknown): My Lords, I am looking forward to my invitation to curry supper. More seriously, I think I speak on behalf of all the faith communities in welcoming the Prime Minister’s continued affirmation of the importance of places of worship being open, albeit with restrictions, not just for the private benefit of the adherents of a particular faith but for wider community cohesion and well-being, bearing in mind not least that many of these places host food banks and other community care initiatives. I hope that, if any further measures are needed, that community well-being dimension will be kept in mind alongside others I return to the question asked by the noble Lord, Lord Newby, about the 30 and the 15 attendance at particular kinds of events and add to that the announcement made, I believe, this afternoon that as of Monday attendance at life events will be restricted to six. There is some confusion about definitions here. As a narrower question, can the noble Baroness confirm that an ordination service, of which there will be dozens all over the country in the next few weeks, is not a life event for this purpose but rather a regular part of church and community life? Restricting attendance to six in a space such as Canterbury Cathedral would seem a bit odd when tourists can visit every day.
Restriction of Public Sector Exit Payments Regulations 2020 — House of Lords, 2020-09-23
Topic: Mixed Topics
John Geoffrey (Bishops, Unknown): My Lords, the attempt to address egregiously large public sector exit payments is undoubtedly a good thing and I applaud it. However, to enact regulations without attention being given to unintended consequences for lower-paid staff is surely not Reference was made by the noble Baroness, Lady Bakewell, to the LGA’s concerns with the regulations as drafted. The LGA believes that employees in scope of them could be earning far less than the Government have suggested. I am standing up because individuals in my diocese have expressed grave concern about this. They are frightened because pension strain is included in the £95,000 cap, as has been mentioned. The regulations could have lasting negative impacts on long-serving staff who do not earn large sums of money. The Minister mentioned cases of genuine hardship, and I would be pleased to hear what he means by that As the noble Earl, Lord Devon, made clear, in these economically uncertain times pension strain is particularly significant, as large numbers of public servants only a few years below pensionable age are increasingly likely to be made redundant. These regulations could penalise low-paid, long-serving, loyal public servants When the Scottish Government implemented similar regulations, they intentionally opted not to include pension strain payments, stating that "including employer pension costs in any severance payment cap may unduly expose longer-serving and lower-paid employees to the cap", and that they have "therefore decided to exclude these costs from the cap." Following in Scotland’s footsteps might be a positive way forward in protecting lower wage earners at the heart of our public services It is of course right that high exit payments are brought to acceptable levels. However, it is surely vital that proper attention is paid to the unintended consequences that these regulations could have for lower-paid public servants who have dedicated decades in local authorities and public bodies to the common good. I would welcome any clarifications or assurances that the Minister is able to give.
UK Terrorism Threat Level — House of Lords, 2020-11-10
Topic: Civil Rights
Paul Butler (Bishops, Unknown): Places of worship have been included as targets of recent European attacks and there is a history of lone individuals targeting locations such as synagogues, mosques and churches. Considering that, what guidance and support is being given by the Government to faith communities and places of worship as they seek to balance being places of welcome and safety, open to all, without fortifying themselves unhelpfully?
General Synod (Remote Meetings) (Temporary Standing Orders) Measure — House of Lords, 2020-10-22
Topic: Civil Rights
Sarah Mullally (Bishops, Unknown): My Lords, this Measure will enable the General Synod—the legislative body of the Church of England—to meet and conduct its business remotely. Current coronavirus restrictions mean it is not practically possible for the synod to meet in the usual way, with 500 people from across England gathering in the same place Arrangements made under the Measure could allow for all synod members to participate remotely, but it would also be possible for the synod to adopt a hybrid approach, with some members in the chamber and some joining online. Noble Lords will be familiar with these types of arrangements, since they have been in use in your Lordships’ House since April. The precise arrangements adopted by the General Synod will need to take account of the relevant regulations and government guidance as they develop over the coming months In this place, we were able to make provision for virtual proceedings using Business of the House Motions. However, as the General Synod was created by statute law, it does not have the same freedom and the legislation is required to enable the synod to meet remotely. Noble Lords will recall that the Coronavirus Bill contained provision enabling local authorities to hold virtual meetings. The Measure makes equivalent provision for the General Synod There is some urgency to this legislation as there is business that the General Synod needs to do before the end of this year. This includes legislation giving effect to recommendations from a 2019 report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse. There are also statutory deadlines that need to be complied with, including the approval of the Church of England’s national budget for 2021. If the Measure is approved, the General Synod will meet remotely this November to deal with that and other significant business Because of the practical issues arising from the coronavirus restrictions that I have already mentioned, the synod met in September to pass this Measure with only a quorum of members attending and maintaining social distancing. Other members graciously refrained from exercising their right to attend. The Measure was passed by synod with no votes against in any of the three houses The Ecclesiastical Committee of Parliament considered the Measure on 6 October and has reported that it considers the Measure expedient. I take the opportunity to express my thanks to the Ecclesiastical Committee, the clerks and the usual channels for the trouble they have taken to facilitate the swift dispatch of this business. I beg to move.
General Synod (Remote Meetings) (Temporary Standing Orders) Measure — House of Lords, 2020-10-22
Topic: Civil Rights
Sarah Mullally (Bishops, Unknown): I thank the noble and learned Baroness, Lady Butler-Sloss, for her comments and for her work on the Ecclesiastical Committee. I also thank the noble Lord, Lord Bhatia, for his comment, and I agree with him that the recommendations of the 2019 IICSA report should be taken as soon as possible. This Measure allows us to do that Covid-19 is presenting us with a marathon and not a sprint, which means that, rather than waiting for this to pass, we have to change the way we work. This Measure will allow the Church of England General Synod to undertake its business in support of the Church of England, which contributes not only spiritual capital but also social capital to our communities at this challenging time. I beg to move.
Coronavirus — House of Lords, 2020-09-16
Topic: Civil Rights
Alan Smith (Bishops, Unknown): My Lords, can the Minister clarify one or two issues? Does the rule of six mean that it will no longer be possible to have any public marking of Remembrance Sunday outdoors this year? Will he also clarify whether this effectively means that all public protests and demonstrations are now illegal?
Immigration Rules: Supported Accommodation — House of Lords, 2020-12-17
Topic: Immigration
Christopher Chessun (Bishops, Unknown): My Lords, in the light of the recent ruling by the High Court of Justice in London against the Secretary of State, what steps have Her Majesty’s Government taken to review the way in which the Home Office houses asylum seekers with disabilities in order to comply with the judgment of the High Court? The delays in providing accommodation in the cases before the court range from 45 days to nine months.
Uighur Forced Labour: Xinjiang — House of Lords, 2020-12-17
Topic: Mixed Topics
Alan Smith (Bishops, Unknown): My Lords, the news that forced labour was active in cotton supply chains is not the first example of business connections to Uighur repression. Previous concerns have also been expressed in relation to Hikvision and its role in the Xinjiang surveillance apparatus. Will the Government commit to a comprehensive review of supply chains in local and national public contracts to ascertain whether public funds have helped to finance this ongoing tragedy?
Gambling and Lotteries — House of Lords, 2020-12-14
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Alan Smith (Bishops, Unknown): My Lords, it is true that we cannot cost the human hurt and pain, but the Statement praised the tax receipts and employment benefits that come from the gambling industry but did not mention any of the financial costs of gambling-related harms. Will the Minister assure the House that, as part of the evidence-based approach, the review will include research into the cost of gambling-related harms—for example, for the 14 clinics dealing with gambling addictions, the cost of trials and imprisonment, the cost of JSA claims and the terrible cost of suicides—to ascertain whether the gambling industry is really a net contributor to the Treasury, as the Government claim?
Migrant Crossings — House of Lords, 2019-01-07
Topic: Immigration
Paul Butler (Bishops, Unknown): My Lords, on a slightly different tack, given that those seeking asylum seem to be mainly Iranians, and the number of Iranians seeking asylum in the past two years has been steadily reducing, is work being done to discern whether this is an increase in number or a transfer of route? Is work being done to understand the dynamics of exactly what is going on?
Social Housing — House of Lords, 2019-01-31
Topic: Housing
Stephen Cottrell (Bishops, Unknown): As Bishop of Chelmsford, I am also proud to be the Bishop of Becontree, Harlow and Basildon, three of the nation’s boldest attempts by policymakers in the last century to address the housing needs of London and the south-east. When Becontree was built in the 1920s, it was Europe’s largest public housing development. The Government were then building homes fit for heroes after the First World War, and London County Council had a bold vision for 27,000 new homes and the infrastructure that went with them, which we do not see in housing estates today. There are many being built across Essex. It is great to move in, provided that you do not own a car—there is nowhere to park it—and provided that nobody who ever visits you has a car, because there is nowhere for them either The era of large housing estates has gone, but so has the vision to build proper communities. I therefore very enthusiastically support the Motion from the noble Lord, Lord Whitty, and the need to increase our commitment to provide social housing. This debate is very timely. We all see the reason for this in the terrible rise in homelessness. I pay tribute to the work done by churches and charities up and down this country to support those who are homeless Until fairly recently, most of us would grow up, live, work and raise a family in the same place, but we now live networked lives. We therefore end up gravitating towards living beside people who look and think as we do. But the danger is that a networked, aspirational society becomes a disintegrated society, a society with rising levels of aspiration but correspondingly higher levels of discontentment and unhappiness. Let me put it plainly: there is something wrong and we store up great trouble for ourselves when people cannot even aspire to live in the communities where they grew up Creating more diverse but integrated communities is challenging but it provides a better context for human flourishing, so please forgive me for making a theological point: you cannot be yourself on your own. The only way we can fully be what we are meant to be is in community with each other. The answer is plain and it is, of course, our common expectation: builders and developers must ensure that a significant proportion of the dwellings they build is affordable social housing However, we know that this is not happening. Let me point out one reason that we could address. Using what are known as viability assessments, developers can avoid or reduce the proportion of dwellings set aside for social or affordable housing, arguing that such housing undermines the overall profitability of the development. I am not suggesting that builders develop sites without profit but we could look at this—it could be more transparent—and then we could build not only housing developments but communities.
Tenant Fees Bill — House of Lords, 2019-01-15
Topic: Housing
John Sentamu (Bishops, Unknown): My Lords, I too thank the Minister for listening. He has been very attentive in listening to the suggestions, comments and evidence from tenants and all those people involved with this part of the Bill. I have been in correspondence with the Minister, starting in the Moses Room. He has been very attentive to people’s concerns and cares. The Bill is what it is because of that attention.
Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Bill — House of Lords, 2019-01-15
Topic: Mixed Topics
John Sentamu (Bishops, Unknown): My Lords, will the Minister contemplate another example? Megrahi was sent from a Scottish jail back to Libya and expected to die within a short period, but he lived for longer than six months. What if someone was here and the same thing applied? President Pinochet was allowed to go back. Everybody expected him to die but he walked off the plane and lived for quite some time. So the six-month period could become a problem. One needs to find a way of describing it in another way. People have died within six months but some have lived longer. Can the noble Earl help us with that quandary?
Civil Partnerships, Marriages and Deaths (Registration etc) Bill — House of Lords, 2019-03-01
Topic: Civil Rights
Steven Croft (Bishops, Unknown): I thank the noble Lord for the question and the invitation to respond. During the time of my ministry, the Church of England has grappled with two other issues: the remarriage of divorcees and the admission of women to different orders of Christian ministry. In both cases, it has taken the Church in its processes a very long time to come to judicious conclusions. That is the way we are. Our decision-making processes are naturally set up to be conservative and to take time to implement serious change after careful thought To change canon law, there will need to be significant majorities in favour of such change in the General Synod of the Church of England. Therefore, I anticipate that this debate will continue into the lifetime of the next synod, which begins in 2020. The debate this morning has accurately highlighted the diversity of views across the Church and the significantly shifting diversity of view in favour of change—that is a subjective view. One of the things which impedes that change of view in the life of the Church is a fear lest it be seen to be in any way compelled to make up its mind by external forces, even if that is not the intention of the amendment—I recognise it is not, very clearly. However, that external pressure would itself be a rallying call to those opposed to change.
Civil Partnerships, Marriages and Deaths (Registration Etc.) Bill — House of Lords, 2019-02-01
Topic: Civil Rights
Stephen Cottrell (Bishops, Unknown): My Lords, perhaps I may make a very small but important point. Proposed new Clause 1(7) refers to regulations being made for civil partnerships to be converted, "into marriage and vice versa" This would require quite a bit of consultation with the Church of England and, I think, with the Church in Wales.
Civil Partnerships, Marriages and Deaths (Registration Etc.) Bill — House of Lords, 2019-02-01
Topic: Civil Rights
Stephen Cottrell (Bishops, Unknown): I had sat down, but if I may, I shall respond briefly. I think the noble Lord’s question goes rather beyond what is proposed here, but I want him to know that the Church of England works closely with Stonewall to address many of the issues he identified, which I am aware of and very much hope that the Church of England will address. However, I stand by what I said: I do not believe that the amendment will help in the process that the Church of England is part of, although I understand why it has been proposed.
Civil Partnerships, Marriages and Deaths (Registration Etc.) Bill — House of Lords, 2019-02-01
Topic: Civil Rights
Stephen Cottrell (Bishops, Unknown): I was pleased to hear how it was being put forward; that is certainly not how those in the legal department of the Church of England have read it. I do not feel legally qualified to make further comment, but it is clearly a concern within the Church, and I think I am right to say that it would be a concern even for those who would like change, because it would introduce compulsion. That would be very unhelpful, particularly as the Church of England is in the middle of a process of discussion of the issues.
Universal Credit — House of Lords, 2019-01-08
Topic: Mixed Topics
Paul Butler (Bishops, Unknown): My Lords, I thank the Minister for the time that she has given to a number of us. The session that we had at the DWP was very informative and helpful, and I thank her for it. However, I am still confused as to why, when we met the Minister, we were told that these regulations had to be dealt with before Christmas, yet we are still not clear exactly what regulations we will be asked to debate. Can she please clarify that?
Grenfell Response — House of Lords, 2019-06-10
Topic: Mixed Topics
Christopher Cocksworth (Bishops, Unknown): My Lords, I echo the praise that has already been given to the emergency services following both Barking and the Grenfell disaster. I welcome the Statement’s recognition of the power of community and its commitment to a new and stronger partnership between residents and those who serve them, for trust to rebuilt and, in particular, for the council to listen and the community to be heard The Minister will be aware of the recent report of the Bishop of Kensington, one of the faith leaders alluded to by the noble Lord, Lord Kennedy. Will the Government encourage serious engagement with this thoughtful report arising out of his conversations with local residents, his identification of their sense of loss of agency and his inspiring call for a renewal of a properly local democratic culture? Does the Minister agree that this careful report shows how Grenfell has much to teach government and society as a whole about the reimagination of welfare, housing and community life—the kind of reimagination that will be necessary to effect the long-term social changes that Grenfell deserves as its legacy?