argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
VAT Retail Export Scheme — House of Commons, 2021-01-26
Topic: Mixed Topics
Olukemi Olufunto Badenoch (Conservative, Centre-right): During the consultation on duty free and tax-free goods carried by passengers in 2020, the Government engaged extensively with various stakeholders and carefully considered 73 consultation responses. I have continued to meet stakeholders, including retail and aviation representatives, following our announcement.
Sport and Wellbeing: Covid-19 Recovery Strategy — House of Commons, 2021-01-26
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Stephen Paul Barclay (Conservative, Centre-right): Sport and wellbeing is of major importance to this Government as we manage the effects of the pandemic. That is why we announced the £300 million sport winter survival package to protect major spectator sports, why we have supported clubs through covid business support schemes, such as the furlough scheme, and why we have introduced the £100 million national leisure recovery fund to support publicly owned leisure facilities through this crisis.
Support for Businesses: Covid-19 — House of Commons, 2021-01-26
Topic: Mixed Topics
Joy Inboden Morrissey (Conservative, Centre-right): Many female business owners have found themselves working full-time jobs at home while bearing full-time responsibility for childcare and home schooling, all at the same time. May I thank my right hon. Friend for all the steps he is taking to alleviate the difficulties experienced by mothers who just want to work and contribute to the economy with their children safely back in school?
Support for Businesses: Covid-19 — House of Commons, 2021-01-26
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Caroline Ansell (Conservative, Centre-right): I have long believed that there was a compelling case for reducing VAT for the hospitality sector, and the pandemic-inspired cut helped to save the season between lockdowns. May I ask that my right hon. Friend, when he is looking at his Budget, considers making the cut permanent, to power the recovery across the UK, including in my destination town of Eastbourne, where one in four jobs depends on tourism?
Support for Businesses: Covid-19 — House of Commons, 2021-01-26
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend is rightly a champion for her local tourism and hospitality businesses, and she is not alone; across the country, hundreds of thousands of these businesses employ 2 million people. Those businesses are particularly vital in constituencies such as hers, which is why we reduced the rate of VAT—it runs all the way through to the end of March. She will know that we have an upcoming Budget, where we plan to review all our measures of support.
Support for Businesses: Covid-19 — House of Commons, 2021-01-26
Topic: Mixed Topics
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): I am very happy to join my right hon. Friend in congratulating the businesses he mentioned. We know that many manufacturers, especially those in his area, have worked very hard, particularly with regard to ventilators and personal protective equipment at a time of this country’s need. He is right to say that that should play a part in our recovery. One initiative I would point to, which I believe will be in and around his area, is the Made Smarter partnership between Government and high-value manufacturing, which seeks to foster innovation, digital adoption and the latest and greatest management processes. It seems to be working very well and I look forward to learning more about that initiative.
Support for Businesses: Covid-19 — House of Commons, 2021-01-26
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Mary Josephine Robinson (Conservative, Centre-right): Cheadle businesses that faced fines for failing to submit self-assessment returns by the end of this month will be relieved by yesterday’s announcement of an extension until the end of February, as that will remove a great deal of worry and anxiety from business owners who are already under great pressure. With the original deadline only a week away, what steps will the Department take to ensure that all businesses are aware of these changes?
Support for Businesses: Covid-19 — House of Commons, 2021-01-26
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): As an accountant herself, my hon. Friend knows all too well the fantastic job that these people are doing, under enormous strain, at this current time. I know that, as she said, she warmly welcomes the announcement yesterday by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs to waive penalties until the end of February for late filers. She is right to say that we must make sure that everyone is aware of this, and we are doing everything we can, on all our channels of communication, to get this news to businesses. I ask other colleagues across this House to do exactly the same in their constituencies.
Support for Businesses: Covid-19 — House of Commons, 2021-01-26
Topic: Housing
Melvyn John Stride (Conservative, Centre-right): There is a looming bloodbath for many businesses at the end of March, when the moratorium on commercial landlords taking action against tenants in arrears comes to an end. Does my right hon. Friend recognise that acute danger? What action might he consider taking to avoid it?
Support for Businesses: Covid-19 — House of Commons, 2021-01-26
Topic: Housing
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): My right hon. Friend knows that the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government is engaged with that issue and has worked with the industry to put in place various codes of practice to encourage good and constructive dialogue between landlords and tenants throughout a difficult situation. There are promising signs that that is happening.
Environmentally Sustainable Economic Growth — House of Commons, 2021-01-26
Topic: Mixed Topics
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend is absolutely right—our 10-point plan can create hundreds of thousands of jobs up and down the country. He is also right that we can lead the world in this journey. We have been one of the fastest countries to decarbonise over the past few years and are one of the leading countries not only in phasing out coal and internal combustion engine vehicles but in offshore wind and carbon capture and storage. Where Britain goes, hopefully the world can follow.
Financial Services: Equivalence Recognition — House of Commons, 2021-01-26
Topic: Domestic Commerce
John Philip Glen (Conservative, Centre-right): To clarify for the right hon. Gentleman, the equivalence granting process is an autonomous, separate process from the MOU discussion. The MOU is about a framework to evaluate the future direction of financial services across the EU and UK. I remain very ambitious for the financial services sector. The Chancellor and I are continuing to have a dialogue—with roundtables with representatives of the sector this week and next week, as well as one-to-one meetings—to ensure that we listen to the sector, and respond appropriately and ambitiously for the future.
NHS Funding: Wales — House of Commons, 2021-01-26
Topic: Mixed Topics
Stephen Paul Barclay (Conservative, Centre-right): I am happy to confirm to my right hon. Friend that there are not financial constraints. The UK Government have guaranteed that the Welsh Government will receive at least £5.2 billion in additional resource to deliver their coronavirus response, including the vaccine deployment activities.
Government Financial Support: Low to Moderate Incomes — House of Commons, 2021-01-26
Topic: Civil Rights
Maria Frances Lewis Miller (Conservative, Centre-right): The pandemic has been a difficult time for pregnant women in work, and one in four have faced discrimination, including being unlawfully singled out for redundancy—a problem not confined to the pandemic. Will my hon. Friend look again at how other countries tackle this problem and consider adopting Germany’s approach of protecting pregnant women from redundancy, which would also give families much-needed financial stability at what can be a very challenging time?
Covid-19: Support for Local Authorities — House of Commons, 2021-01-26
Topic: Housing
Stephen Paul Barclay (Conservative, Centre-right): North Warwickshire has received more than £1 million to meet its expenditure pressures this year, exceeding the expenditure pressures that it has reported to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. I urge my hon. Friend to express any further concerns to MHCLG at the earliest opportunity. As he recognises, a comprehensive package of support has already been provided, and that support continues.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2021-01-26
Topic: Mixed Topics
Marcus John Hudson Fysh (Conservative, Centre-right): What will my right hon. Friend do to make the UK a more attractive destination for investment and capital formation, to encourage the jobs and opportunities of the future that people rely on the private sector to provide?
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2021-01-26
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): It is absolutely right that businesses get the funds as quickly as possible. What I would say is that central Government have disbursed that funding to local councils across the country, so it is actually for businesses to take up with their local authority why they have not received the money. There are two sets of grants: there are of course our monthly grants, which have been going for a while now, and the one-off payments of up to £9,000 that we announced earlier this year. But the hon. Gentleman is right to urge urgency. I know my colleagues in the Business Department are doing exactly that with local councils, but ultimately the responsibility will lie with individual councils.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2021-01-26
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Olukemi Olufunto Badenoch (Conservative, Centre-right): The Government understand that this is a very challenging time for the UK hospitality sector, and we are constantly reviewing the package of covid-19 support. In order to ensure that decisions are made to meet these challenges, we will outline plans for 2021-22 business rates relief early this year, but my hon. Friend should let her constituents know that for existing tax liabilities the VAT deferral new payments scheme will allow businesses with deferred VAT to spread their payments over up to 11 equal payments to 31 March 2022 interest-free.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2021-01-26
Topic: Mixed Topics
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): I am happy to look at the specific question the hon. Lady raises, but she will know that in the last Budget we introduced a manifesto commitment to bring in neonatal leave, which was warmly welcomed and many had campaigned for, and I know will make a difference to families up and down the country.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2021-01-26
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Mark Julian Francis Pawsey (Conservative, Centre-right): We have heard many times this morning about the very welcome support the Chancellor has provided to hospitality businesses required to close during the pandemic. However, suppliers to the sector are dependent on its success, and many have seen dramatic falls in sales. Ahead of getting hospitality up and running again, is there any additional support he can provide at this particularly challenging time?
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2021-01-26
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Olukemi Olufunto Badenoch (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend raises a point mentioned by several Members about the difficulties businesses in the hospitality sector and their supply chain have faced during the pandemic. He can tell his constituents that £1.6 billion is being made available for local authorities to support businesses that are ineligible for closed business grants but that may still be impacted by restrictions, and local authorities have discretion to determine how much funding to provide to businesses and the flexibility to target local businesses that are important to their local economies, which could include businesses in the supply chains for retail, hospitality and leisure.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2021-01-26
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Gentleman can write to me with the specific issue he has with the guidance, but in general the grants have been functioning, I think, very well and local authorities are getting them out to businesses. They also have access to discretionary funding. As the name suggests, although there are broad guidelines, ultimately that funding is to be at the discretion of individual local authorities.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2021-01-26
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Scott Lloyd Benton (Conservative, Centre-right): The support packages that my right hon. Friend has made available to the hospitality and tourism industries over the course of this pandemic have proved invaluable to thousands of businesses in Blackpool; but as we look to reopen those sectors later on this year, will he commit to extending the reduction in VAT for tourism, hospitality and leisure businesses to help maintain thousands of jobs in my constituency?
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2021-01-26
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Alexander Jesse Norman (Conservative, Centre-right): As my hon. Friend says, and I thank him for it, the temporary reduced rate of VAT was introduced to support the cash flow and the viability of over 150,000 businesses and to protect 2.4 million jobs in the hospitality and tourism sectors. It was extended in September and extended again, and will now run until 31 March of this year. But the relief comes at a significant cost, and while the Government keep taxes under review, we have no current plans to extend it further. I remind my hon. Friend that there are many other aspects of our financial support that may be of assistance to his constituents.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2021-01-26
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Ian Levy (Conservative, Centre-right): The Eat Out to Help Out scheme was seen by many in the hospitality industry as a lifeline for the survival of their business after the lifting of restrictions last summer. Will my hon. Friend assure me that his Department will carefully consider reinstating the scheme or something similar once we come out of lockdown?
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2021-01-26
Topic: Mixed Topics
John Philip Glen (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank my hon. Friend for his question. Across the pandemic, the Government have created a number of innovative responses, like Eat out to Help Out. We will continue to examine very carefully what package of measures we need to intervene with, and the Chancellor has indicated that he will be coming forward at the Budget with an update to the House on that package in due course.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2021-01-26
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Stephen Paul Barclay (Conservative, Centre-right): As my right hon. Friend the Chancellor set out a moment ago, the Office for Investment, led by Lord Grimstone, is focused on exactly that issue, working in tandem with the Build Back Better Business Council, which the Prime Minister and the Chancellor chair.
UK Border: Covid Protections — House of Commons, 2021-01-26
Topic: Immigration
Priti Sushil Patel (Conservative, Centre-right): I think it is fair to say that the hon. and learned Lady and I will disagree on a number of things, including her opening remarks on the Government’s strategy. I have already outlined them, so I do not need to run through the range of measures that have been undertaken, but I would just like to reflect on a point she made about co-operation across the four nations. She will be very well aware that co-operation has taken place from the outset through the introduction of travel corridors and through the work of the UK Border Force across the United Kingdom. If I may say so, it does that incredibly well at our ports and airports across the UK. In fact, earlier last year I visited many of our Border Force officers in Scotland, both at Edinburgh and Glasgow. The co-operation is incredibly strong. The dialogue always continues and does exist. That will continue as, potentially, measures may change, as they have done throughout the coronavirus pandemic.
UK Border: Covid Protections — House of Commons, 2021-01-26
Topic: Immigration
Christian Wakeford (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank my right hon. Friend for her statement on the work being done by our Border Force. Does she agree that while our efforts to contain the original coronavirus strain were working, because of the increased transmissibility of the new strains it is right that we re-evaluate the work being done at our borders?
UK Border: Covid Protections — House of Commons, 2021-01-26
Topic: Immigration
Priti Sushil Patel (Conservative, Centre-right): The Chair of the Home Affairs Committee will be aware, with regard to her comments about last year, that the advice from Government was to stay at home, and clearly the point of that was not to travel. She asked, rightly, about the scenes at Heathrow airport at the weekend, and the fact is that those queues materialised because of the compliance checks that Border Force had put in place. I would like to thank Heathrow airport, because, as she will also be aware, we—colleagues in Border Force—work with the airport operators on social distancing measures at the airport. That is a joint piece of work that takes place, and all airports take responsibility for their work and how they manage their flows. Border Force, in particular, is there to enforce the checks, as it does now, achieving 100% coverage. It is also now working with London Heathrow airport’s assistant organisation—its contractors—HAL, which is also working as a triage function to make sure that people are being checked. I think the British public and the travelling public would just like that reassurance and that welcome news that checks are in place. If that means queues, obviously, we are working with airport operators in terms of how they are supported and triaged as arrivals come into the airport.
UK Border: Covid Protections — House of Commons, 2021-01-26
Topic: Immigration
Dehenna Sheridan Fareham (Conservative, Centre-right): Given the nature of the new variant and the unique challenges that it has presented, I am pleased that new measures have been introduced, such as covid testing at the border, to help keep people safe as we continue our excellent efforts in the vaccination roll-out. Does my right hon. Friend agree that of course it is right that border measures are kept under constant review as we battle this fast-changing virus, and that it is much easier to be in Opposition making loud and sometimes conflicting suggestions with the benefit of hindsight?
UK Border: Covid Protections — House of Commons, 2021-01-26
Topic: Immigration
Priti Sushil Patel (Conservative, Centre-right): It is important for the hon. Member to understand that the accommodation facilities that we are using are military bases that are of a very high standard—so much so that they were housing and accommodating our service personnel, men and women, prior to the base being made available to asylum seekers. The reason the base was made available is that in line with Public Health England guidelines, because of coronavirus, we need space for social distancing, which has been absolutely in place. These accommodation sites are in line with PHE guidance—we have always checked guidance and worked with PHE throughout coronavirus when it comes to accommodation. [Interruption.] I can see the hon. Lady shaking her head—perhaps she would like to listen to the facts and not some of the jaded views that she may hold herself. Alongside that, the reason we have removed a number of asylum seekers over the weekend is actually to protect others from catching coronavirus. That is absolutely the right thing to do, because public health and public safety are important, and that, of course, is in line with PHE guidance.
UK Border: Covid Protections — House of Commons, 2021-01-26
Topic: Immigration
Dean Russell (Conservative, Centre-right): I also pay tribute to my right hon. Friend for the work that she is doing to secure our borders. Given the current situation with a new, more transmissible virus, can I ask whether she agrees that we need to look again at our rules and guidance with regard to borders to make sure that we are limiting the amount of virus that comes through them?
UK Border: Covid Protections — House of Commons, 2021-01-26
Topic: Immigration
Priti Sushil Patel (Conservative, Centre-right): Throughout the pandemic, all decisions have been made by looking at scientific advice, and the right hon. Gentleman will be well aware of that, and it is no different when it comes to protective measures at the border. He heard me speak about shutting the border when the mutant strain from Denmark was prevalent, and taking action around flights from South Africa and other countries, which was absolutely right. That was based on scientific advice, much of which has also been put out in the public domain.
UK Border: Covid Protections — House of Commons, 2021-01-26
Topic: Mixed Topics
Priti Sushil Patel (Conservative, Centre-right): I have already outlined the comprehensive package of measures that we brought in from January last year. It is all very well to talk with hindsight about measures in the past, but there were many discussions that took place. Alongside that, the measures are clear on testing, on test to release, and now on banning various flights and on carrier liabilities. These measures are in place and they will continue to be in place, but as I have said, as evidence changes, the situation changes. The measures are under review and changes will be announced in due course.
UK Border: Covid Protections — House of Commons, 2021-01-26
Topic: Immigration
Priti Sushil Patel (Conservative, Centre-right): I refer the hon. Lady to my statement and the comments I have made about measures being under review and announcements being forthcoming. It is not for me to give a timetable for what is taking place, because obviously there is a lot of work that takes place day in, day out across Government around border measures and the overall approach with regard to coronavirus.
UK Border: Covid Protections — House of Commons, 2021-01-26
Topic: Immigration
Nigel John Mills (Conservative, Centre-right): I welcome these proposed measures; clearly, at times of highest risk, we need the strongest measures. Will the Secretary of State agree to be transparent and publish the criteria that the Government will use for deciding which measures will be in place at what time between quarantine, self-isolation and travel corridors being allowed?
UK Border: Covid Protections — House of Commons, 2021-01-26
Topic: Other
Priti Sushil Patel (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend makes an important point. I do not want to speculate about new measures; he will bear with me, as he has heard me say this a number of times. There are processes around making decisions, and clearly, when changes come forward, the Government will announce the details in due course.
UK Border: Covid Protections — House of Commons, 2021-01-26
Topic: Mixed Topics
Priti Sushil Patel (Conservative, Centre-right): As a member of the Select Committee, the hon. Gentleman will be aware that in April last year, we discussed at the Select Committee health measures at the border and the work of the Government. In terms of the effectiveness of the measures, he will be very familiar with all the measures—the statutory instruments, the regulations and the directions to airports, Border Force and the ports. As I and other members of the Government have said throughout, and particularly today, all measures are under review, and that is the right thing to do.
UK Border: Covid Protections — House of Commons, 2021-01-26
Topic: Other
Priti Sushil Patel (Conservative, Centre-right): If I may, I will restate the point that I made earlier: I am not going to comment on speculation. All Members will have to be a little bit more patient and wait for formal details as and when announcements are made.