argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
Private International Law (Implementation of Agreements) Bill [HL] — House of Lords, 2020-06-29
Topic: Government Operations
Jonathan Marks (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): I welcome these sensible amendments which tidy up the Bill, but I also welcome them for an important reason, which is that in removing Clause 2 this House made an important constitutional decision. I welcome the thrust of much of what the noble and learned Lord, Lord Garnier, said. However, I doubt that we need a thoroughgoing review of delegated legislation or the powers to delegate legislation. What we need is to respect more thoroughly the views of the Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform Committee and the principles that it applies, which are well known and are often stated and applied by this House and were importantly so stated and applied during debates on the removal of Clause 2 I regard it as a shame that the Minister opened this afternoon’s discussion with a reassertion of the position that he enunciated during earlier stages of the Bill— that Clause 2 was constitutionally proper and not inappropriate. This House decisively rejected that view. I hope that the Government will listen to what has been said today and, more importantly, will consider the arguments that were advanced during the earlier stages of the Bill, change their mind and decide not to reinstate Clause 2 and send it back to this House, taking advantage of their majority; and, rather than having a thoroughgoing review, will decide to exercise some self-control in future and not put before us Bills which contain delegated powers that most of us regard as entirely wrong and inappropriate.
Telecommunications Infrastructure (Leasehold Property) Bill — House of Lords, 2020-06-29
Topic: International Affairs
Lindsay Granshaw (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Alton, and others have laid out the human rights abuses that are emerging from China, particularly in relation to the Uighurs. The possible complicity of Huawei in this is a charge that it must answer. We cannot turn a blind eye to this, which is why we support the amendment I hear what the Minister has said about engaging with the movers of this amendment prior to Third Reading. I look forward to hearing whether the noble Lord, Lord Alton, feels that this is likely to address his, and our, concerns.
Telecommunications Infrastructure (Leasehold Property) Bill — House of Lords, 2020-06-29
Topic: Technology
Timothy Francis Clement-Jones (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): As ever, my noble friend Lord Fox and the noble Lords, Lord Holmes and Lord Stevenson, have put their finger on the issues. I was going to ask the Minister how she thought the question of open radio access networks fitted into this picture, but I will not.
Telecommunications Infrastructure (Leasehold Property) Bill — House of Lords, 2020-06-29
Topic: Technology
Timothy Francis Clement-Jones (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): My Lords, the purpose of the amendment is extremely clear and should be welcomed by the Government. It is to ensure that the code is fit for the purpose of delivering the Government’s own manifesto commitment—and that personally expressed by the Prime Minister—of 1 gigabit per second-capable broadband to every home by 2025 However, in the Minister’s letter to me about comparative rights of entry for different utilities—I thank her for it—she describes it as the Government’s ambition to deliver gigabit-capable broadband to every home and business "as soon as possible"; that is my emphasis. All of us, whether at Second Reading or in Committee, have described the importance of delivering what we must now call ultrafast broadband by any appropriate technology by 2025, particularly in the light of the demonstration through the Covid-19 lockdown of our increasing dependence for remote working, education and many other aspects of life on good broad- band connectivity, as the noble Lord, Lord Stevenson, described It is clear that the Electronic Communications Code needs regular review to ensure that this vital objective is met and that operators have all the rights of entry they need. It is all the more important given that, as all of us know, previous pledges and commitments have not been met—and, this year, we can hardly celebrate the arrival of a universal service obligation of a miserable 10 megabits per second I am glad that we have started a genuine debate around whether we can describe broadband as a utility and what the appropriate rights of entry are. The amendment is by no means prescriptive on the point, but it should definitely be a matter of consideration on review, particularly given that, unlike with electricity, gas and so on, the rights of broadband operators are only ever temporary in the code at the moment. The amendment would be an extremely valuable addition to the Bill.
Charitable and Voluntary Sector — House of Lords, 2020-04-30
Topic: Social Welfare
Floella Benjamin (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): My Lords, at times of national emergency, the most valuable suffer most. The charities that support them are needed more than ever today, especially when public services cannot. It is therefore deeply concerning that charities are facing a serious threat to their survival. Lockdown is driving families to crisis point, and it is becoming clear that vulnerable children are the hidden victims of the pandemic. Children’s mental health is becoming critical, with anxiety and suicidal thoughts growing. Many children without computers cannot communicate with a project worker or anyone outside the home We know that people of colour are more likely to become critically ill or die with the virus, meaning that there are more BME young carers—children looking after sick loved ones or being bereaved. Children’s safety is increasingly at risk at home, outside the home and online. The Internet Watch Foundation has reported an increase of online child sexual abuse yet has fewer on-site staff to take down images. Vulnerable children are not attending school and are cut off from the support systems they rely on. Charities such as Barnardo’s—I declare an interest as vice-president—are working hard to continue to support children most in need, delivering face-to-face services. Yet, despite performing this essential work, charities are facing grave financial difficulties What will happen to vulnerable people when the charities they rely on for support cease to exist or are forced to reduce their operations? Who will be there for them? Will the Government therefore commit to reviewing the £750 million package urgently and provide additional funds to help charities to adjust to the new challenges that they face; looking at the furlough scheme and allow staff to volunteer to work for their charities; and, finally, make sure that charity workers, who are unsung heroes, can access PPE? Like NHS workers and many others, charity workers are risking their own health to do the job that they believe in.
Charitable and Voluntary Sector — House of Lords, 2020-04-30
Topic: Social Welfare
Rosalind Scott (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): We live in an age where we have an obsession with numbers—that is, analysing and counting—but we occasionally forget what really matters: the outcomes. As inspiring as it was to see 750,000 volunteers come forward for the NHS, the fact is that many of them have been given no tasks to perform. In the meantime, 1.5 million of our most vulnerable shielded citizens have not been receiving the support that they were promised Volunteers need to be organised as well as mobilised, and that requires structure. It makes no sense to create large new centralised systems when existing local provision is already there. It may look fragmented at the local level, but it is much more likely to be effective than any other way when properly organised. Local providers are much more likely to be trusted, to be aware of local needs and conditions and, crucially, to be able to draw on resources quickly when they are needed. For those needing specialist help, it is much more likely to be at hand in a local network In Suffolk, we formed the collaborative communities board, made up of a range of statutory providers and the VCSE sector—including Community Action Suffolk, of which I am a trustee. Town and parish councils are also represented; they are an important link into many communities, especially in rural areas. We have 1,500 community groups registered on our app. The Home But Not Alone helpline is taking around 1,300 calls a week and is organising help for people in need, including food packages, medicines, transport and befriending. A 24/7 mental health hotline was opened on 15 April. Providing accommodation solutions is a major strand of work for all these organisations, which are working together to provide accommodation and the support that people need I urge the Government not to neglect the local dimension in all this.
Charitable and Voluntary Sector — House of Lords, 2020-04-30
Topic: Social Welfare
Judith Anne Jolly (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): My Lords, I declare my interests as president of RoSPA and trustee of Orthopaedic Research UK. I shall also address the issues of small local charities and echo all that my noble friend Lady Scott of Needham Market said. Their risks and responses to the epidemic will be different due to their size, resources and organisational capacity. These small charities have been launching emergency appeals to generate cash, and locals have responded by baking, singing, crafting and everything in between to support causes that they are passionate about. Only time will tell whether these efforts will make sufficient sustainable difference to fill the void These charities are embracing innovation and technology. Charities have launched a huge number of pandemic appeals, mainly using digital platforms. While this thrust of organisations into the digital realm is positive and will have lasting effects, a third of staff and volunteers lack these digital skills. This means that they could end up being behind the curve due to a lack of innovation or funding. Fundraisers have an important role in helping to build a sense of community during lockdown, but their roles will get harder as the crisis deepens and the extent of the economic impact becomes clear Small charities are facing a number of specific threats. There are restrictions on the ability to fundraise as usual, so cash flow will need to be carefully monitored during the year. Many charities, including social care charities, face increasing demands for their services. Volunteers are dropping off because they tend to be older people who are currently self-isolating. Carrying out business as normal will be almost impossible Can the Minister confirm that someone within her department, working with local government, has their eye on the smaller charities, which are able to be more flexible and responsive than the bigger national ones yet do excellent work at a local level?
Charitable and Voluntary Sector — House of Lords, 2020-04-30
Topic: Social Welfare
Jeremy Purvis (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): My Lords, I too commend my noble friend Lord Addington on securing this debate and I similarly declare an interest as a trustee and patron of a number of charities, including a small charity supporting the families of children with complex and additional needs I am contributing from the rural Scottish Borders. Rural areas like this are beautiful, but they are often a burden for vulnerable people and the charities that support them due to their isolation and distance from specialist centres; for example, for some here it would be more than a four-hour round trip to a Covid-19 testing centre, with limited public transport. There are often connectivity problems, and many are low-income areas; fundraising for small rural charities is therefore more limited Government support through additional funds for the National Lottery Community Fund across the nations is welcome, although limited, as my noble friend Lord Addington mentioned. Its online portal makes clear that the fund has major capacity issues with processing. For the next six months, non-directly linked Covid-19 applications are likely to take three months to be processed. Ongoing economic and public service pressures will mean that small rural charities, more dependent on funds such as these, will be impacted disproportionately. There remain too many discrepancies between business support packages and support for small charities, and there are concerns that charities will still be asked to carry out burdensome applications for much in-demand local authority support, which often asks for match funding that will simply not be available Lastly, small charities rely heavily on self-employed people to support them and to work for them. They will have to wait at least three weeks from now before being contacted by HMRC to learn whether they can apply for support, and first payments are over a month away. Will the Government ensure that there is specific, directed support for small rural charities and fast-track support for self-employed people, especially for the mothers and other women who support charity activities? The needs of small rural charities in particular, with the extra barriers they face, will be great, well into the future. If the Government can address these points, charities’ ability to help the people most in need will be helped.
Charitable and Voluntary Sector — House of Lords, 2020-04-30
Topic: Social Welfare
Michael German (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): My Lords, I refer to my interests as recorded in the register and declare that I am the chair and trustee of the Parliament Choir, which is both a parliamentary body and a charity providing support for young musicians. Charities come in all shapes and sizes—some big, some small—but the majority are numerically on the micro scale, with few paid staff and perhaps many volunteers. Here, I echo the words of my noble friends Lady Scott and Lady Jolly regarding the service they provide. The question is, when will these small charities be able to bid for funds from the National Lottery Community Fund? The consistent message we are hearing both in this debate and from charities is that as a result of the pandemic, the demand for charitable services is up while income is down. That is the conundrum the Government must tackle I have two asks of the Minister. Like other noble Lords, I have been contacted by many organisations and charities that have outlined the difficulties they are facing. Can the Minister guarantee that she will ensure that all these charities receive a response to the issues they have raised and that a copy of that response will be placed in the Library Many charities have handled their lack of fundraising income by furloughing staff. However, those people are often critical to providing the services that are so needed in these exceptional times. What consideration have the Government given to allowing furloughed staff to return, albeit for short periods, as volunteers in the charities they serve, instead of having to volunteer for another charity? Anyone who has been closely connected to a charity knows that myriad tasks have to be performed to enable them to function and be governed correctly—from organising leased vehicles to running appropriate checks and training volunteers. The latter is very important indeed, so these people are crucial. Where the absence of furloughed staff is affecting delivery of a needed service, surely it makes sense for them to be able, under strict conditions, to volunteer some of their furloughed time to assist More than anything else, as has been pointed out in the debate, this crisis has shown us that charities make our world a better place. We must ensure that we do not lose them because of this pandemic.
Charitable and Voluntary Sector — House of Lords, 2020-04-30
Topic: International Affairs
Shaista Sheehan (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): My Lords, Bond, the umbrella group representing over 400 NGOs working in international development and the humanitarian sector, estimates that many members will not survive unless they receive urgent financial support to cover core organisational costs. These are valued organisations held in high esteem nationally and internationally, so I have four asks of the Government First, the £750 million charity support package, though welcome, does not include charities that work abroad, nor is it sufficient for those it does support. Will the Government increase support commensurate with the £4 billion loss that the sector faces and, of that support, will they make at least £320 million available to UK NGOs working abroad Secondly, can the Minister say whether the request to increase the £20 million allocation to the rapid response facility to at least £100 million, as per the letter to the Secretary of State for DfID from Wendy Chamberlain MP, to which I and over 100 other parliamentarians across both Houses are signatories, will be met? These front-line NGOs have a delivery capacity and reach into vulnerable communities second to none Thirdly, will the Government allow charities in current government programmes to pivot to tackle Covid-19 Fourthly, when will charities have access to the furlough scheme and CSOs to small business funding? Covid-19 does not respect borders. A single case of a superspreader can infect people around the world very quickly. We are all in this together, so unless the crisis is over everywhere, it will not be over anywhere.
Covid-19: Repatriation of UK Nationals — House of Lords, 2020-04-30
Topic: International Affairs
Menzies Campbell (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): I join in the appreciation of the efforts of our diplomats and other civil servants in the Government’s service. However, for the life of me, I cannot understand the Government’s reticence in acknowledging that they derived financial support from the Brussels scheme for repatriation. It makes one wonder whether there is some edict that nothing good should be said about the European Union. Since, as has already been pointed out, the first responsibility of any Government is to ensure the safety and protection of their citizens, why not redeploy some of the civil servants who are currently engaged in the increasingly fruitless pursuit of a deal with the European Union by 31 December to make sure that we bring all our citizens home as soon as possible?
Covid-19: Repatriation of UK Nationals — House of Lords, 2020-04-30
Topic: International Affairs
Qurban Hussain (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): I also appreciate the hard work that our people at the embassies in different parts of the world and the FCO have been doing to bring people back to Britain at this difficult time. The Minister stated that 2,000 British nationals have been repatriated from Pakistan so far, but does he know how many more are still stranded in Pakistan and how long it will take to bring them all back home? Can he also tell us what testing mechanism for Covid-19 is in place for those returners at British airports?
Covid-19: Repatriation of UK Nationals — House of Lords, 2020-04-30
Topic: International Affairs
Jeremy Purvis (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): I very much welcome what the Minister said about the multilateral approach, with not only the continuation but the expansion of British support for the most vulnerable in the world. I also welcome the announcement about co-hosting the conference. Have the Government had direct contact with the envoys of the African Union to the G20? What is the UK’s response to the African Union’s support I declare an interest: at the end of March, I was in a country that had declared a state of emergency and closed its borders and airspace. I have a great degree of empathy with not only the FCO and DfID support staff working around the world but the stress of people trying to find their way home. The Permanent Secretary at the Foreign Office gave measured evidence to the committee and recognised that many people felt let down. The ramping up of that support is welcome I endorse the question asked by my noble friend Lady Northover. In addition to those who have come back on commercial routes, the German Government have repatriated more than 250,000 people. Now, fewer than 1,000 German citizens are stranded. How many British citizens want to come home but are apparently struggling to do so?
Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) (Amendment) (No. 3) Regulations 2020 — House of Lords, 2020-06-25
Topic: Government Operations
Jeremy Purvis (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): My Lords, in his opening remarks, the Minister said that these measures had to be brought forward because of the need for emergency legislation to be rapid and frequent. As my noble friend Lord Scriven pointed out, that had been the case, and this House and Parliament had given the Government a fair degree of forbearance in the use of emergency powers. In our debate on the legislation, I said that such legislation should never normally be needed and that Parliament would never normally pass it—but we did. It should be commensurate that, when emergency legislation is passed, scrutiny and the ability to debate the measures that the Government bring forward are enhanced If the Government say that bringing forward these measures needed to be rapid and frequent, that cannot be said about the procedures in this House. With remote working and hybrid working, we could meet for many hours every day. There has been no limit at all on the Government bringing these measures forward sooner. The Minister says that he does so to afford scrutiny but scrutiny of what the Government are doing is impossible if it comes after the event. That includes this ridiculous situation where we are debating, in one debate, two measures that counteract one another On science, which has already been mentioned, I agree entirely with the noble Baroness, Lady Wheatcroft. It has been reported that a communications company that has been carrying out the advice and the Government’s work was recently issued a contract to do the same for the Brexit preparations after next January. Will the Government publish all the data that has been secured from that communications company from polling and focus groups, under the principles of open data, so that we are aware Finally, I understand the approach for devolution, which I am passionate about, but the science cannot say one thing for Northumberland and another for the Scottish Borders. What is the Government’s advice for those who live and work across the border? Should they take the advice on where they work or on where they live, at the destination or at the source point? Clarity on that point would be gratefully received.