argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
Article 50: Extension — House of Commons, 2019-02-28
Topic: International Affairs
Stephen Paul Barclay (Conservative, Centre-right): We are clear that we want to secure a deal and that we do not want to extend. The hon. Lady should really come clean, because she says that she wants to extend but what she really wants is to go back on the largest vote in our country’s history and revoke Brexit entirely. She does not want to extend in order to secure a deal; she wants to stay in the EU and go back on the deal. She is praying in aid an extension when that is not really her policy.
Article 50: Extension — House of Commons, 2019-02-28
Topic: International Affairs
Stephen Paul Barclay (Conservative, Centre-right): We have already had this question twice, but I am happy to refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave a moment ago. We are committed to securing a deal; that is the Government’s objective.
Article 50: Extension — House of Commons, 2019-02-28
Topic: International Affairs
Stephen Paul Barclay (Conservative, Centre-right): I respect the way in which the hon. Gentleman has framed his question, because I know, as he does, that his constituency voted leave and that many of his constituents will be keen, as mine are, to ensure that we get this deal over the line. Clearly, the withdrawal agreement Bill is a significant piece of legislation and we will need to get it through the House, but the key issue is getting the deal through, because once we have done that, we will have the basis for the necessary consensus in the House to approach that legislation.
Article 50: Extension — House of Commons, 2019-02-28
Topic: International Affairs
Owen William Paterson (Conservative, Centre-right): I entirely agree with the Secretary of State that extending article 50 is a very unsubtle way of thwarting the will of the 17.4 million people who want to leave. Does he agree that one way of avoiding having to extend article 50 would be to ensure, in the negotiations, that the Malthouse proposals—which he has asked a taskforce to work up into detail—should be put into the legal text of the treaty with a definitive implementation date?
Article 50: Extension — House of Commons, 2019-02-28
Topic: International Affairs
Stephen Paul Barclay (Conservative, Centre-right): I pay tribute, as the Prime Minister did, to the work that my right hon. Friend and a number of colleagues have done on taking forward the alternative arrangements work. He will be aware of the time pressure relating to the derogations required as part of that, and that is why this is seen as a phase 2 issue by the European Union. He can be reassured, however, that, as the Prime Minister has set out, there is a commitment to £20 million of funding to take that work forward, together with civil service resource. That shows the goodwill and intent of the Government in relation to progressing the alternative arrangements.
Article 50: Extension — House of Commons, 2019-02-28
Topic: International Affairs
Desmond Angus Swayne (Conservative, Centre-right): Paul Flynn told me that I had star quality, but as my friend, I do not suppose that he was an objective observer. In the event of the withdrawal agreement being defeated a second time, the Government must be committed to voting in favour of a no-deal Brexit; otherwise, they will in effect have taken no deal off the table, won’t they?
Bioethanol Industry — House of Commons, 2019-02-28
Topic: International Affairs
Kwasi Alfred Addo Kwarteng (Conservative, Centre-right): Of course the Government have engaged extensively on EU exit with businesses and industries across all sectors of the economy and all regions of the UK. I am pleased to tell the House that I visited Tees valley to discuss EU exit issues with representatives of the chemical sector, including the bioethanol industry, and they made it very clear that supporting the Prime Minister’s deal is the one way they can get certainty and clarity.
Bioethanol Industry — House of Commons, 2019-02-28
Topic: Foreign Trade
Kwasi Alfred Addo Kwarteng (Conservative, Centre-right): As the hon. Lady knows, I am of an open disposition. I am happy to meet representatives of any industry, particularly from her constituency. I make it clear that the political declaration clearly states that the EU and UK will agree on a free trade area for goods. There is no question of having damaging tariffs, in the way she describes, on the industries she mentions.
Bioethanol Industry — House of Commons, 2019-02-28
Topic: Agriculture
Kwasi Alfred Addo Kwarteng (Conservative, Centre-right): This issue definitely came up in the debates on the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 last summer, and it was very much the Government’s position at the time that we would try to maintain standards on the protection of animal rights.
Business Community — House of Commons, 2019-02-28
Topic: International Affairs
Questions: What recent discussions he has had with representatives of the business community on the potential effect on the UK economy of leaving the EU without a withdrawal agreement.
Christopher Heaton-Harris (Conservative, Centre-right): I am glad that the hon. Gentleman, my friend, knows his place. If only he could keep his wife’s pegs in the Members’ Cloakroom as tidy as he keeps his own, all would be well in the world. I thank him for his question Getting a deal is the best way to give the business community the certainty and clarity it needs and is asking for. This year alone, we have published over 250 pieces of advice to businesses of all sizes to provide the information they need to prepare for our exit from the European Union. This week alone, Ministers have met businesses from across the economy, including the financial services, energy and automotive sectors, to discuss this plan.
Business Community — House of Commons, 2019-02-28
Topic: International Affairs
Questions: What recent discussions he has had with representatives of the business community on the potential effect on the UK economy of leaving the EU without a withdrawal agreement.
Christopher Heaton-Harris (Conservative, Centre-right): I gently remind the hon. Gentleman that his constituency is one of the few that voted in greater numbers to leave the European Union than mine did. People took in a whole bunch of factors when they made that decision, and they expect us to deliver on it. The best way to avoid the scenario he outlines is to vote for the deal that is coming before the House.
Business Community — House of Commons, 2019-02-28
Topic: International Affairs
Questions: What recent discussions he has had with representatives of the business community on the potential effect on the UK economy of leaving the EU without a withdrawal agreement.; Scottish Government analysis published last week highlights the impacts of a supply shock caused by a no-deal Brexit, which include: the destruction of supply chains; restricted supplies; significant restrictions on imports and exports; a reduction in business turnover; companies delaying investment; and the depreciation of sterling. Why does the Minister think this is worth it?
Christopher Heaton-Harris (Conservative, Centre-right): I should have what he had for breakfast more often, Mr Speaker. Unlike the hon. Gentleman, however, I am pretty aware of what my constituents voted for back in June 2016. I am pretty sure they wanted to leave the European Union. I am pretty sure they are pleased with the Norwegian sovereign wealth fund saying that it is going to invest billions of pounds in our country going forward. He should be positive about the future of the country and not such an Eeyore.
Investment and the UK Economy — House of Commons, 2019-02-28
Topic: International Affairs
Questions: What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the effect of the ongoing negotiations for the UK leaving the EU on investment and the UK economy.
Christopher Heaton-Harris (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank the hon. Gentleman for his question. I think he can probably guess part of the answer: the best way to do those things that he wants is to vote for the deal. May I gently remind him of something he tweeted in June last year? He wrote: "I campaigned & voted to remain. As much as I don’t like the result of the referendum, as a democrat I have to respect it." He should do so.
Investment and the UK Economy — House of Commons, 2019-02-28
Topic: Foreign Trade
Questions: What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the effect of the ongoing negotiations for the UK leaving the EU on investment and the UK economy.
Philip Thomas Hollobone (Conservative, Centre-right): Can the no-deal Minister confirm to the House that the UK is No. 2 in the whole world for foreign direct investment after only China and that although the doom mongers before the referendum said that by now we should have been in recession, with hundreds of thousands of jobs lost, this year we are going to have the fastest growth in Europe, with record numbers of people in employment?
Investment and the UK Economy — House of Commons, 2019-02-28
Topic: Macroeconomics
Questions: What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the effect of the ongoing negotiations for the UK leaving the EU on investment and the UK economy.
Christopher Heaton-Harris (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank my hon. Friend and constituency neighbour for his question, and I can confirm that. I can also confirm that the economy has grown continuously for the past nine years and is expected to grow throughout the Office for Budget Responsibility’s forecast period. There are now 3.3 million more people in work than there were in 2010, and the employment rate is at a record high of 75.8%. This country is doing well—is that despite Brexit?
Reciprocal Healthcare Arrangements — House of Commons, 2019-02-28
Topic: International Affairs
Questions: What discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on reciprocal health arrangements for UK and EU citizens in the event that the UK leaves the EU (a) under the terms of the withdrawal agreement and (b) without a deal.
Robin Caspar Walker (Conservative, Centre-right): The Secretary of State and I have regular discussions with Cabinet members on all EU exit-related matters. The withdrawal agreement safeguards the reciprocal healthcare entitlements of UK nationals in the EU and of EU nationals living in the UK. Although we remain committed to leaving the EU with a deal, as a responsible Government we are preparing for all outcomes, including in respect of reciprocal healthcare. The Foreign Secretary and the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care have written to EU partners to seek to protect healthcare arrangements.
EU Exit: No deal — House of Commons, 2019-02-28
Topic: International Affairs
Christopher Heaton-Harris (Conservative, Centre-right): As the Prime Minister said on Tuesday, the only ways to rule out no deal are to revoke article 50, which we will not do, or for Parliament to vote for a deal. We are working to achieve legally binding changes on the backstop, and we have set out commitments to protect workers’ rights and the environment and to an enhanced role for Parliament in the next phase of negotiations. We are determined to address the wider concerns of those who voted to leave. We all know that the House needs to support a withdrawal agreement, and we are working hard to deliver that.
EU Exit: No deal — House of Commons, 2019-02-28
Topic: International Affairs
Christopher Heaton-Harris (Conservative, Centre-right): There are a whole host of reasons. First, we want to get a deal over the line. May I just remind the hon. Gentleman what the House voted for, or against, yesterday? It voted against an SNP amendment by a majority of 36. Interestingly, were one to take that result literally, that now means that there is a majority of 36 in this House for keeping no deal on the table.
EU Exit: No deal — House of Commons, 2019-02-28
Topic: International Affairs
Stephen Charles Kerr (Conservative, Centre-right): Does the Minister agree that, although it is the Government’s policy to leave the European Union with a deal, the SNP’s position is to accept no deal whatsoever, and they are therefore trying to manoeuvre the debate to the point of no deal, which would suit their argument—chaos, leading to an independence referendum, leading to the break-up of the United Kingdom?
EU Exit: No deal — House of Commons, 2019-02-28
Topic: International Affairs
Christopher Heaton-Harris (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend makes a strong point, with which I mostly agree, although the Government have been preparing for two and a half years for our leaving without a negotiated deal so it would certainly not be chaotic.
EU Exit: No deal — House of Commons, 2019-02-28
Topic: International Affairs
Christopher Heaton-Harris (Conservative, Centre-right): Personally, I think we are lucky to have such a brilliant Secretary of State for Scotland. I completely understand that the hon. Gentleman has taken a very principled position on not wanting to leave the European Union; I just wish that there were others, perhaps on the Opposition Front Bench, who would be honest with the British people—especially those in northern Labour leave seats around Barnsley and south Yorkshire, the east and west midlands, Manchester and so on—and say, "Actually, the new Labour position is to stay in the European Union" and that they disrespect the votes in the referendum.
Regeneration of Towns — House of Commons, 2019-02-28
Topic: Macroeconomics
Questions: What discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the effect of the UK leaving the EU on funding for the regeneration of towns.
Kwasi Alfred Addo Kwarteng (Conservative, Centre-right): Of course, my hon. Friend will be well aware that leaving the EU creates fresh opportunities to allocate growth funding according to our own UK priorities, including the regeneration of towns. The Government are committed to creating the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to tackle these inequalities across our communities. Leaving the EU with a deal will mean, of course, that we remain in the existing programmes until they close. We have also protected this funding in the case of a no-deal scenario.
Regeneration of Towns — House of Commons, 2019-02-28
Topic: International Affairs
Questions: What discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the effect of the UK leaving the EU on funding for the regeneration of towns.
Kwasi Alfred Addo Kwarteng (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend, and I think everyone across this House who has an elementary grasp of arithmetic, will know that for every €20 that we put into the EU pot we got €10 back, so we were a net contributor. We were the second biggest net contributor, and the logic of that is that we can more than compensate for the loss of EU funding across our communities. The UK Shared Prosperity Fund will go some way to meeting those concerns.
Regeneration of Towns — House of Commons, 2019-02-28
Topic: International Affairs
Questions: What discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the effect of the UK leaving the EU on funding for the regeneration of towns.
Kwasi Alfred Addo Kwarteng (Conservative, Centre-right): The point I was trying to make was that we as a country were a net contributor. We were the second biggest net contributor in the system that redistributed those funds. There is no doubt that the UK Shared Prosperity Fund can more than match EU funds. The details of that, as the hon. Lady well knows, will be discussed as we leave the EU on 29 March.
Regeneration of Towns — House of Commons, 2019-02-28
Topic: International Affairs
Questions: What discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the effect of the UK leaving the EU on funding for the regeneration of towns.
Kwasi Alfred Addo Kwarteng (Conservative, Centre-right): That is obviously an important part of the ongoing discussion. There is no doubt that, with the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, we will be able to have a better, more sensitive regional allocation than is currently the case under the EU system.
UK Citizens: Rights in EU — House of Commons, 2019-02-28
Topic: International Affairs
Questions: What steps his Department has taken to ensure that the rights of UK citizens living in the EU are protected in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.
Robin Caspar Walker (Conservative, Centre-right): The UK Government have been unequivocal that, under any scenario including no deal, EU citizens and their family members living here at exit will be able to stay. We are calling on member states to reciprocate that unilateral offer for UK citizens. Alongside that, the Government supported an amendment moved by my hon. Friend the Member for South Leicestershire (Alberto Costa) yesterday to seek to ring-fence the citizens’ rights part of the withdrawal agreement. We will write to the European Council to seek its views on this as soon as possible.
Devolved Administrations and Local Government — House of Commons, 2019-02-28
Topic: Government Operations
Questions: What discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the potential effect on the devolved Administrations and local government of the UK leaving the EU.
Robin Caspar Walker (Conservative, Centre-right): The Secretary of State engages regularly with Cabinet colleagues, including the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and the Secretaries of State for the territorial offices. We will use Brexit as an opportunity to strengthen the Union, and we will engage directly with the devolved Administrations and local government across the UK. For instance, the Secretary of State for Scotland recently met the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities.
Devolved Administrations and Local Government — House of Commons, 2019-02-28
Topic: Government Operations
Questions: What discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the potential effect on the devolved Administrations and local government of the UK leaving the EU.
Luke Patrick Graham (Conservative, Centre-right): Engagement with the devolved Administrations is very important on devolved issues, but what steps is my hon. Friend taking to involve MPs from the devolved nations in reserved issues, because every MP in this House is equal to every other?
Devolved Administrations and Local Government — House of Commons, 2019-02-28
Topic: International Affairs
Questions: What discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the potential effect on the devolved Administrations and local government of the UK leaving the EU.
Robin Caspar Walker (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend makes an excellent point. Of course, MPs in this House will have an important role to play on UK-wide frameworks, which we are working to develop as soon as possible. Once we leave the EU, directly elected parliamentarians in this House and the devolved Administrations will be responsible for more than they were during the period of our membership.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2019-02-28
Topic: International Affairs
Stephen Paul Barclay (Conservative, Centre-right): Since the last departmental questions, this House has given a clear indication of what it needs to support a deal with the EU. The Prime Minister, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, the Attorney General and I have held discussions with key EU figures, and the Prime Minister made it clear in her statement on Tuesday that we are making good progress and remain committed to leaving with a deal on 29 March.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2019-02-28
Topic: Energy
Stephen Paul Barclay (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Gentleman makes an important and fair point. He consistently speaks up for the steel industry, and the 2018 emissions surrender under the European emissions trading scheme is an issue of concern to that industry. I have spoken to my right hon. Friend the Business Secretary and he is happy to meet the hon. Gentleman to discuss the matter. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy is undertaking an analysis of the issue, and I am happy to engage with the hon. Gentleman regarding that.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2019-02-28
Topic: International Affairs
Questions: I will continue to vote to leave the EU on 29 March with a deal, but will the Minister explain how funding for university programmes such as those carried out in the University of Nottingham, which employs a number of my constituents, will be protected in a no-deal scenario?
Stephen Paul Barclay (Conservative, Centre-right): The right hon. and learned Gentleman is right to refer to the package of measures that we are putting before the European Union, and the Prime Minister touched on that in her remarks on Tuesday. In terms of the specific wording, these are obviously live discussions and need to be given the space to be conducted. As the Prime Minister set out in her statement on Tuesday, we have been very clear with the European Union that the effects of these changes have to be legally binding. That is what the Brady amendment required and it is the clear will of the House; that is the crux of the issue that we are discussing with the European Union.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2019-02-28
Topic: International Affairs
Questions: I will continue to vote to leave the EU on 29 March with a deal, but will the Minister explain how funding for university programmes such as those carried out in the University of Nottingham, which employs a number of my constituents, will be protected in a no-deal scenario?
Stephen Paul Barclay (Conservative, Centre-right): With respect to the right hon. and learned Gentleman, there is an inherent contradiction in his question. He says that the Government are trying to run down the clock while, at the same time, we gave a clear commitment yesterday to give the House a vote, if the meaningful vote does not go through on the 12th, on whether the House would then support leaving without a deal. That is not in the Government’s interest. It is also not in our interest to run down the clock because, as he is well aware, we need to ratify the agreement through the withdrawal agreement Bill prior to leaving, and therefore we need time for that ratification to take place, so there is a contradiction within his question It is not in our interest to run down the clock, and, further, it is not in the interests of the business community, because they want the uncertainty ended as soon as possible. I gently say to the right hon. and learned Gentleman, while congratulating him on perhaps winning a battle on his Front Bench on a second referendum when so many of his fellow shadow Ministers have spoken out publicly against it, that a second referendum will prolong the uncertainty, and I do not think that is in the interests of business.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2019-02-28
Topic: International Affairs
Questions: I will continue to vote to leave the EU on 29 March with a deal, but will the Minister explain how funding for university programmes such as those carried out in the University of Nottingham, which employs a number of my constituents, will be protected in a no-deal scenario?; Does the Minister agree that if a no-deal Brexit was really akin to the arrival of the four horsemen of the apocalypse, Members in all parts of the House would be rallying behind the Prime Minister to support the deal that will get us out by the end of March?
Kwasi Alfred Addo Kwarteng (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend is absolutely right. The deal is absolutely essential across the piece, and that is exactly what we are focused on. If we can secure a deal, we will leave in an orderly and timely way. Given the efforts of the Under-Secretary, my hon. Friend the Member for Daventry (Chris Heaton-Harris), in preparing this country for no deal, I do not believe that a no-deal scenario will lead to the sort of destruction that the doomsayers on the Opposition Benches have suggested. We are doing lots and lots to secure our safety and our prosperity in the case of no deal.