argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
Points of Order — House of Commons, 2018-10-10
Topic: Other
John Simon Bercow (Conservative, Centre-right): I am grateful to the hon. Lady for her perspicacity and her fleetness of foot in raising this matter immediately after Prime Minister’s questions. As the House will know, I have many roles here, but they do not include that of "truth commissioner". Each Member is responsible for the accuracy of what he or she says in the House, and if a Member, including a Minister, thinks that he or she has erred, it is that Member’s responsibility to correct the record. Meanwhile, the hon. Lady has put her thoughts on record, and she will have to content herself with that for now.
Points of Order — House of Commons, 2018-10-10
Topic: Other
Peter William Bone (Conservative, Centre-right): On a point of order, Mr Speaker. Unusually in Prime Minister’s questions—or at any time in the House—a hon. Member held up a placard with a slogan on it. What was coincidental is that I understand that a photographer, to whom I am sure you had given permission, was taking photographs from the Gallery above me. I wonder whether you would investigate that coincidence, Mr Speaker.
Agriculture Bill — House of Commons, 2018-10-10
Topic: Public Lands
Desmond Angus Swayne (Conservative, Centre-right): In the course of his remarks, will my right hon. Friend reassure me that the Bill will be a vehicle for the support of common land, which accounts for 20% of our areas of special scientific interest and nearly 40% of open access, but which is nevertheless the subject of fragile traditional systems?
Agriculture Bill — House of Commons, 2018-10-10
Topic: Other
Michael Andrew Gove (Conservative, Centre-right): I am happy to give way to my hon. Friend the Member for Brecon and Radnorshire (Chris Davies), then my right hon. Friends the Members for East Devon (Sir Hugo Swire) and for Wokingham (John Redwood), and then my hon. Friend the Member for Totnes (Dr Wollaston).
Agriculture Bill — House of Commons, 2018-10-10
Topic: Other
John Simon Bercow (Conservative, Centre-right): Order. The approach the Secretary of State is taking is most engaging, but it is not necessary for him to conduct an orchestra in proceeding with the debate, nor is it necessary to give a precise chronological guide to his intended order of taking interventions. Nevertheless, it is a notable eccentricity, which the House might enjoy. I call Sir Hugo Swire.
Agriculture Bill — House of Commons, 2018-10-10
Topic: Other
Eleanor Fulton Laing (Conservative, Centre-right): It will be very obvious from the number of people now on their feet that there is a huge demand for time to speak this afternoon. Although we have many hours ahead, I will have to impose a time limit from the very beginning. I give warning now—so that people can throw away pages and pages of their notes—that the time limit will initially be eight minutes, and I anticipate that it might well reduce later.
Agriculture Bill — House of Commons, 2018-10-10
Topic: Mixed Topics
James Roger Cartlidge (Conservative, Centre-right): The answer lies simply in the tastes of the consumer. We like oranges—we like food that grows abroad but which we do not grow. That demand has grown over the years, so we import more. We should be careful lest we try to search for set levels of output or demand in what is still a market economy.
Agriculture Bill — House of Commons, 2018-10-10
Topic: Mixed Topics
Simon James Hoare (Conservative, Centre-right): I think the answer will be yes, but does the hon. Lady agree that it will be a hallmark of success for the whole Brexit process if, 10 or 15 years down the line, we find that we are importing no more foodstuffs than we do today, and preferably less because we are producing more?
Agriculture Bill — House of Commons, 2018-10-10
Topic: Other
Oliver Letwin (Conservative, Centre-right): I am grateful to my hon. Friend for giving way again. The question of how the Select Committee will proceed under his chairmanship seems an important one to resolve. I think that many of us would welcome his driving on that issue, as long as it is done in a way that recognises that we are not trying to build it into the two pieces of primary legislation, which would confuse the issue.
Agriculture Bill — House of Commons, 2018-10-10
Topic: Other
William David Wiggin (Conservative, Centre-right): On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. It is very important that we hear from the SNP, because the Bill does pertain to Scotland. However, as the hon. Lady has just said, a large part of this area is devolved. Is it not then fair that the SNP abides, as we all have to, by the eight-minute limit, instead of taking twice that amount of time?
Agriculture Bill — House of Commons, 2018-10-10
Topic: Other
Eleanor Fulton Laing (Conservative, Centre-right): I appreciate the point made by the hon. Gentleman, but the hon. Member for Edinburgh North and Leith (Deidre Brock) is her party’s Front-Bench spokesman. She is therefore not subject to a time limit. I am quite sure that, being an hon. Lady and a good orator, she will not take more time than is suitable, but it is up to her to decide what that is.
Agriculture Bill — House of Commons, 2018-10-10
Topic: Public Lands
Richard Benyon (Conservative, Centre-right): When I was a Minister at DEFRA, I was quite shocked by some people—even those who were quite senior in the local national park—who had an aggressive attitude towards precisely the kind of farmers that the hon. Gentleman is talking about. Rewilding has its place in certain areas, but a landscape that has been farmed and created by human beings since the time of the Norse people surely needs to be supported, not attacked, by those who have responsibility for it.
Agriculture Bill — House of Commons, 2018-10-10
Topic: Mixed Topics
Julian Charles Sturdy (Conservative, Centre-right): I accept that fair point, but my reading is that land belonging to those who take their retirement money up front and leave the sector—land that we hope would go to a new entrant—would not be entitled to any payments. However, the devil will be in the detail.
Agriculture Bill — House of Commons, 2018-10-10
Topic: Other
William David Wiggin (Conservative, Centre-right): On a point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker. I believe that the hon. Member for Perth and North Perthshire (Pete Wishart) inadvertently misled the House. He can look at the record and see that I definitely said that the SNP should be heard, and to say otherwise is obviously wrong. I hope that he will check that and put what he said right.
Leasehold Charges — House of Commons, 2018-11-05
Topic: Housing
James Peter Brokenshire (Conservative, Centre-right): Before I answer these questions, I am sure that the whole House will wish to join me in offering our condolences to the family and friends of Sir Jeremy Heywood, who passed away at the weekend. He demonstrated all that is precious in our civil service through the way in which he supported Governments of all colours, and the manner in which he supported four Prime Ministers. He showed leadership, real focus and ingenuity in dealing with challenging issues, as well as calmness and a real sense of humour. I know that he will be missed by everyone on both sides of the House Unfair leasehold practices have no place in a modern housing market, and neither do excessive ground rents that exploit consumers. I will be making clear to developers at a roundtable meeting later this week the need for the industry to provide greater support to existing leaseholders.
Leasehold Charges — House of Commons, 2018-11-05
Topic: Housing
James Peter Brokenshire (Conservative, Centre-right): I am conscious of some of the bad practices in the leasehold market, which is why I will be meeting the industry later this week to underline the need for redress and for solutions to be offered to people who have in some cases been mis-sold. I certainly take this seriously. I have also written to the Competition and Markets Authority and to the Solicitors Regulatory Authority, in the knowledge that there are serious questions about some of the practices involved, in order to ensure that we are taking action on a number of fronts in response to the challenges that the hon. Lady rightly highlights.
Leasehold Charges — House of Commons, 2018-11-05
Topic: Housing
James Peter Brokenshire (Conservative, Centre-right): We are working with the Law Commission around greater enfranchisement in order to bring leaseholds to an end. I am also conscious that at least one provider in the market has offered some means of redress and of dealing with some of the issues, but the point is that we need to go further, and that is what I shall be challenging representatives of the industry on when I meet them later this week.
Leasehold Charges — House of Commons, 2018-11-05
Topic: Housing
Peter James Bottomley (Conservative, Centre-right): The House will be grateful to the Secretary of State for saying that he is going to commit to doing all he can for residential leaseholders on existing leases, which are abusive. It is still not too late for the Competition and Markets Authority to declare some of those leases to be so unfair as to be unenforceable I hope that, in time, the Secretary of State will meet representatives of the industry, along with the Leasehold Knowledge Partnership and the Leaseholder Association —and perhaps the Chairman of the Select Committee, which is having hearings this afternoon—and that the campaigners and the industry will all meet together so that the Secretary of State is not hearing one thing in one ear and another thing in the other. We have to represent the leaseholders.
Leasehold Charges — House of Commons, 2018-11-05
Topic: Other
James Peter Brokenshire (Conservative, Centre-right): I hear my hon. Friend’s message very clearly indeed. We have been provided with a number of examples of egregious practice, and I intend to challenge some of the concerns that have been flagged to me. I am sure that we will continue to have this conversation, but I have noted his points.
Leasehold Charges — House of Commons, 2018-11-05
Topic: Domestic Commerce
James Peter Brokenshire (Conservative, Centre-right): Advice is being given by LEASE and others, but this is about transparency and providing more support, which is where the industry has a key role to play. That is why we will be making these points to the industry later this week, as well as looking at where the regulatory aspects might sit.
Leasehold Charges — House of Commons, 2018-11-05
Topic: Housing
James Peter Brokenshire (Conservative, Centre-right): We have taken several steps and put significant pressure on the industry, and that is starting to have an impact as many freeholders take the necessary steps to make buildings safe without passing on the costs to leaseholders, who should not bear them. I am happy to consider the right hon. Gentleman’s specific examples, because we are in direct contact with several different agencies, and indeed with local government about taking enforcement action, to see that work is done.
Leasehold Charges — House of Commons, 2018-11-05
Topic: Housing
James Peter Brokenshire (Conservative, Centre-right): As my hon. Friend will know, we are consulting on the implementation of a ban on inappropriate leaseholds on homes, which are the core of what we are discussing. Legislation will come forward once we have seen the responses to our technical consultation, and there will obviously be plenty of opportunity for colleagues to debate the matter further.
Leasehold Charges — House of Commons, 2018-11-05
Topic: Housing
James Peter Brokenshire (Conservative, Centre-right): I recognise and appreciate the right hon. Gentleman’s comments about Sir Jeremy Heywood. I know that that message will have been heard throughout the House The Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee’s investigation into leasehold is live, and I hope that the right hon. Gentleman recognises the seriousness with which we take the issues that he and others have flagged, and the troubling matters that pertain to some of the practices within the leasehold market. That is why I am taking action.
Leasehold Charges — House of Commons, 2018-11-05
Topic: Housing
James Peter Brokenshire (Conservative, Centre-right): Nobody is ignoring the issue. That is not only why we are legislating to address the inappropriate use of leasehold for new homes, but why I have underlined today the requests that I have made of the Solicitors Regulation Authority and the Competition and Markets Authority. We recognise that there are serious issues, which is why we are taking action. We want to ensure that leaseholders’ concerns are heard and fully understood, and that redress can be provided.
Homeless Families: Accommodation Outside Home Borough — House of Commons, 2018-11-05
Topic: Housing
Heather Kay Wheeler (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank the hon. Lady for her question. As usual, I ask people to note my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests In December 2017 we updated the homelessness code of guidance for local authorities, chapter 17 of which makes it clear that, when possible, local authorities should place families as close as possible to where they were previously living.
Homeless Families: Accommodation Outside Home Borough — House of Commons, 2018-11-05
Topic: Housing
Heather Kay Wheeler (Conservative, Centre-right): I do understand the particular problem that the hon. Lady is having in Westminster, but it is the London boroughs. We have been clear that placing families out of borough should be a last resort, and we have now committed £40 million to a London collaborative project that will ensure that families are placed in temporary accommodation close to home. We also recently launched the £20 million private rented sector access fund to support those who are homeless, or who are at risk of becoming homeless, to access sustainable accommodation. Finally, our specialist homelessness advisers are working closely with London boroughs in particular to provide support to limit the number of out-of-borough moves altogether.
Homeless Families: Accommodation Outside Home Borough — House of Commons, 2018-11-05
Topic: Housing
Michael Alex Burghart (Conservative, Centre-right): The Housing First initiative has clear potential to prevent homelessness. What is the Department doing to monitor the effectiveness of pilots in Manchester and other cities, and what are its plans for taking the evidence forward?
Homeless Families: Accommodation Outside Home Borough — House of Commons, 2018-11-05
Topic: Housing
Heather Kay Wheeler (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend is right. The Housing First projects in Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool are backed by the £1.2 billion that we have committed to tackle all forms of homelessness and rough sleeping across the country through to 2020. Housing First and the private rented sector access fund are also providing local authorities with flexible funding to tackle the homelessness pressures they are facing.
Homeless Families: Accommodation Outside Home Borough — House of Commons, 2018-11-05
Topic: Housing
Heather Kay Wheeler (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Gentleman is an assiduous Member and does such a good job of chairing the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee —[Interruption.] Do you mind? We are trying to get there; let us have a bit of civility, shall we I have written again to the hon. Gentleman, and the important thing is that we have now had frank words with the local authority in Peterborough to say that it should have informed the receiving authorities—it has now done that. The team we have put together to help with homelessness is having a special word with Peterborough and other councils that were thinking of placing homeless people out of borough.
Homeless Families: Accommodation Outside Home Borough — House of Commons, 2018-11-05
Topic: Housing
Heather Kay Wheeler (Conservative, Centre-right): Sadly I do not have a crystal ball, but what I do have is a team of fantastic advisers who are making sure that councils have put in really good bids to help rough sleepers. Secondly, there is money: £40 million, £30 million, £75 million and, now, another £5 million. This Government take homelessness and rough sleeping extremely seriously, and we are the only Government who have put it in our manifesto that we want to halve homelessness and rough sleeping. We will be looking after the most vulnerable people in 2020, and we will finish this altogether in 2027. The answer is that the Government and the money that taxpayers are providing are doing their best.
Local Government: Departmental Support — House of Commons, 2018-11-05
Topic: Mixed Topics
Rebecca Faye Clark (Pow) (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank the Minister for that. What help is being provided specifically for Somerset County Council to cope with the escalating demands of adult social care and children’s services? Will he bear in mind that Somerset County Council desperately needs £80 million from the housing infrastructure fund in order to cope with providing much-needed future infrastructure?
Local Government: Departmental Support — House of Commons, 2018-11-05
Topic: Housing
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend is tireless in pressing Somerset’s case. We listened carefully to her and others, and the Budget confirmed an additional £650 million for social care next year, and indeed an additional £500 million for the housing infrastructure fund. I am sure that the Minister for Housing will have heard her submission, but given what I have said, and the LGA’s specific support for Somerset with its children’s services, I hope she feels that we are responding to Somerset’s concerns and hers.
Local Government: Departmental Support — House of Commons, 2018-11-05
Topic: Housing
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Gentleman may want to talk this country down, but Conservative Members have enormous faith in towns and communities up and down this country, which was why in the Budget we backed Britain’s high streets with a £675 million fund. We did that because we believe in local communities taking control of their high streets and developing vibrant communities that we will enjoy for years to come.
Local Government: Departmental Support — House of Commons, 2018-11-05
Topic: Mixed Topics
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend has met me and others to discuss the cost of delivering services in rural areas, particularly in Leicestershire. His local county council has been a vocal proponent of a new fair funding formula, and I am pleased to tell him that we are engaged with his council and others to take into account those concerns, and we will shortly be issuing the latest round of consultation on those proposals.
Local Government: Departmental Support — House of Commons, 2018-11-05
Topic: Mixed Topics
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): This Government believe in backing local authorities to build strong communities. The hon. Lady mentioned parks and roads. Perhaps she heard in the Budget about £420 million for our councils to fix potholes this winter. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State recently announced another round of our hugely successful pocket parks programme, and I encourage her local authority to bid as well.
New Homes — House of Commons, 2018-11-05
Topic: Housing
James Peter Brokenshire (Conservative, Centre-right): The publication of the national planning policy framework provides greater clarity and certainty for the development of homes. We are examining the recommendations of my right hon. Friend the Member for West Dorset (Sir Oliver Letwin) on the build-out review and will respond in full in February.
New Homes — House of Commons, 2018-11-05
Topic: Housing
Nicholas Soames (Conservative, Centre-right): The Government would see greater progress in their quest to shorten the time it takes to build new homes if people were able to have greater confidence in the design and layout of large housing developments. I congratulate my right hon. Friend on the steps he is taking to get that done, but does he agree that what really worries people is not only the housing but the inability to provide adequate social infrastructure to cope with massive amounts of new housing where there simply is not currently the infrastructure to support it?
New Homes — House of Commons, 2018-11-05
Topic: Housing
James Peter Brokenshire (Conservative, Centre-right): I recognise the points that my right hon. Friend highlights and welcome his support for the Building Better, Building Beautiful commission, which will look at that sense of place and the identity between our built environment and how we live our lives. He also rightfully highlights the issues relating to infrastructure. I hope that he will welcome the extra £500 million that the Chancellor committed in last week’s Budget to the housing infrastructure fund to deal with the issues that he rightly points out.
New Homes — House of Commons, 2018-11-05
Topic: Housing
James Peter Brokenshire (Conservative, Centre-right): The point that the hon. Lady makes is about the need to build more homes, which is precisely what we are doing as a Government. We are ensuring that housing associations are building more with the £9 billion fund, and by lifting the borrowing caps we are ensuring that councils can build more, along with what the private sector is doing. That way, people can have strong communities and the services that they need close at hand.
New Homes — House of Commons, 2018-11-05
Topic: Housing
Richard Michael Bacon (Conservative, Centre-right): Does the Secretary of State recognise that one of the best ways to bring forward more new homes quickly is to support my Housing Reform Bill, which has support from Members from all parties, including some of the House’s most distinguished Members? The Bill’s requirement on the Secretary of State to provide serviced plots for sale or for rent to rich people and poor people, social tenants and others, would do a lot to solve our housing crisis.
New Homes — House of Commons, 2018-11-05
Topic: Housing
James Peter Brokenshire (Conservative, Centre-right): I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his tireless championing of the issues that he has highlighted. The Minister for Housing will meet him shortly to discuss a number of the elements that he has highlighted. I hope that he recognises some of the steps taken through the national planning policy framework that will support his agenda.
Residential Property Management — House of Commons, 2018-11-05
Topic: Housing
Questions: What progress he has made on improving standards in the management of residential property in the (a) private rented and (b) social housing sectors. [R]
Christopher Laurie Malthouse (Conservative, Centre-right): All tenants deserve a safe and decent place to live. In respect of the private rented sector, Lord Best is chairing a new working group on property agent regulation, and we have extended mandatory licensing. The social housing Green Paper contains proposals to drive up the performance of social landlords in delivering a good service.
Residential Property Management — House of Commons, 2018-11-05
Topic: Housing
Questions: What progress he has made on improving standards in the management of residential property in the (a) private rented and (b) social housing sectors. [R]
Michael Mark Prisk (Conservative, Centre-right): I welcome the reforms, especially the requirement for all residential managers to be trained and qualified. That is the way to raise standards. However, there are concerns about how the requirement may be introduced. Will the Minister agree to a meeting to discuss how existing qualifications will be accredited by the proposed mandatory qualifications, so that we do not end up worsening the current shortage of competent managers?