argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
Refugee Communities: Covid-19 — House of Commons, 2020-11-12
Topic: Mixed Topics
Catherine Elizabeth West (Labour, Centre-left): May I briefly press the Minister on the question of the paperwork that needs to be done for certain people trying to reunite with family members in the UK? Given the covid restrictions across various parts of the world, will his Department look at eliminating the need for travelling to those places in person and do those things online, as per the request of the British Red Cross?
Smokefree England: Covid-19 and PHE Abolition — House of Commons, 2020-11-12
Topic: Other
Mary Elizabeth Twist (Labour, Centre-left): May I start by congratulating my hon. Friend the Member for City of Durham (Mary Kelly Foy) on securing this debate and on her introductory speech? I am going to start in time-honoured speaking fashion by telling you, Minister, what I am going to ask you, and then elucidating on that—
UK Exporters: Covid-19 — House of Commons, 2020-09-03
Topic: Mixed Topics
Paul Christopher Blomfield (Labour, Centre-left): The Minister will know that businesses are concerned about the double disruption of covid and the end of the Brexit transition. The Government said that they would secure the rollover deals we need to replace those we enjoyed with more than 40 countries and trade blocs as members of the EU. Failure will leave business with increased costs, barriers and red tape, but in the last four years the Department has concluded just half the agreements it wants and not a single one since the start of this year. Will the Minister tell the House not how many are in discussion but how many will be secured in the remaining four months?
Environmental Protection Standards: Future Trade Agreements — House of Commons, 2020-09-03
Topic: Mixed Topics
Jeffrey Smith (Labour, Centre-left): The former Australian Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, said that the major role he played in his country’s trade negotiations was ensuring "that we weren’t sidetracked by peripheral issues such as… environmental standards" Does his potential appointment as a policy adviser to the Board of Trade mean that that is the Government’s new approach? How can the Government reassure us that they do not now regard the environment as a peripheral issue?
International Trade: Covid-19 — House of Commons, 2020-09-03
Topic: Mixed Topics
Daniel Stephen Zeichner (Labour, Centre-left): One of our great trade and export success stories in the tech sector is Cambridge-based Arm, the tech giant that designs the chip that goes into almost every mobile phone in the world. During the covid crisis, it has been subject to the threat of sale to an aggressive American manufacturer. What is the Government’s response? What discussions is the Minister having with colleagues to ensure that this jewel in our tech crown is not dismembered?
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2020-09-03
Topic: Mixed Topics
Christian John Patrick Matheson (Labour, Centre-left): The appointment of the sexist and homophobic Tony Abbott is also the appointment of a climate change denier. Does that indicate that the Government are moving away from any commitment in trade deals to maintaining environmental protection? If not, why have they put him in the job?
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2020-09-03
Topic: Mixed Topics
Navendu Prabhat Mishra (Labour, Centre-left): Front Line Defenders published a report in 2019 that detailed the firings, torture and trials in military courts of trade unionists and workers who organised strikes in Egypt. Will the Minister assure us that the Government will not sign a trade deal with the Egyptian Government unless they agree to respect the right to form unions and the right to take industrial action?
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2020-09-03
Topic: Mixed Topics
Ian Robert Byrne (Labour, Centre-left): The Government have either reached free trade agreements or are in active negotiations with 15 of the 40 countries that the International Trade Union Confederation has identified as in the bottom category worldwide for their respect of workers’ rights. Will the Minister tell us in how many of those trade agreements the Government have secured or are seeking to secure clauses designed to protect workers’ rights?
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2020-09-03
Topic: Mixed Topics
Rachel Louise Hopkins (Labour, Centre-left): I am interested to hear the Minister’s comments, because the rollover agreement that the Government reached with Kosovo last year removed the requirement in the corresponding EU agreement for Kosovo to improve its laws on labour, health, safety at work and equal opportunities for women and men, for persons with disabilities and for persons belonging to minority groups. Can the Minister explain why?
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2020-09-03
Topic: Other
Lindsay Harvey Hoyle (Labour, Centre-left): I think you have both put those things on the record for today, and we will end questions with that. In order to allow the safe exit of hon. Members participating in this item of business and the safe arrival of those participating in the next, I am suspending the House for three minutes.
Kickstart Scheme — House of Commons, 2020-09-03
Topic: Mixed Topics
Lilian Rachel Greenwood (Labour, Centre-left): As my right hon. Friend the Member for East Ham (Stephen Timms) and my hon. Friend the Member for Luton South (Rachel Hopkins) highlighted, young disabled people are far more likely to experience unemployment. Even before the pandemic, 29% of disabled 16 to 24-year-olds were not in education, employment or training compared to 9% of their non-disabled peers. If they are black or working class, they are even more likely to experience unemployment. I heard what the Secretary of State said, but will she be clearer about what specific measures her Department is taking to ensure that the kickstart programme targets those who most need support? There is a real danger that they will be left completely behind and suffer even greater disadvantage during the pandemic.
Kickstart Scheme — House of Commons, 2020-09-03
Topic: Civil Rights
Shabana Mahmood (Labour, Centre-left): Some 72% of the population in my constituency are from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds. What reassurances can the Secretary of State give me that measures will be taken to ensure that young people from minority backgrounds have equality of access and opportunity under the scheme, and that the systemic inequality we all know exists in our employment market will not be allowed to be a feature of the scheme?
Non-Domestic Rating (Public Lavatories) Bill — House of Commons, 2020-09-03
Topic: Mixed Topics
Rosalie Winterton (Labour, Centre-left): I should explain that, in these exceptional circumstances, although the Chair of the Committee would normally sit in the Clerk at the Table’s chair during Committee stage, in order to comply with social distancing requirements, I will remain in the Speaker’s chair, although I will be carrying out the role not of Deputy Speaker but of Chairman of the Committee. We should be addressed as Chairs of the Committee, rather than as Deputy Speakers Clause 1 Relief from non-domestic rates for public lavatories
Non-Domestic Rating (Public Lavatories) Bill — House of Commons, 2020-09-03
Topic: Mixed Topics
Catherine Malloy Hollern (Labour, Centre-left): I beg to move amendment 1, line 6, after "day," insert "the hereditament is a publicly-owned library or community centre or a local authority property that is free of charge to enter and contains a public lavatory that is free of charge for anyone to use, or" This amendment would extend the rate relief to publicly-owned libraries and community centres, and local authority properties, which are free to enter and which contain public lavatories that are free to use.
Non-Domestic Rating (Public Lavatories) Bill — House of Commons, 2020-09-03
Topic: Housing
Rosalie Winterton (Labour, Centre-left): With this it will be convenient to discuss the following: Amendment 2, page 1, line 7, after "lavatories", insert "which are free of charge for anyone to use" This amendment would confine the rate relief to public lavatories that are free of charge to use. Amendment 3, page 1, line 8, after "zero", insert "; and where, on a chargeable day, the hereditament consists partly of public lavatories, the chargeable amount for the chargeable day of the public lavatories shall be separately calculated and the chargeable amount for the chargeable day of the hereditament shall be reduced by the amount calculated in respect of those public lavatories."This amendment would give rate relief to premises that consist partly of public lavatories according to the proportion of the premises occupied by those lavatories. Clause stand part Clauses 2 to 4 stand part New clause 1—Assessment of the impact of Act on provision of public lavatories— "The Secretary of State must within one year of Royal Assent conduct and publish an assessment of the impact of this Act on the provision of public lavatories." This new clause would require the Government to publish a report on the impact of the Act on provision of public lavatories.
Non-Domestic Rating (Public Lavatories) Bill — House of Commons, 2020-09-03
Topic: Other
Catherine Malloy Hollern (Labour, Centre-left): I beg to ask leave to withdraw the amendment Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. Clauses 1 to 4 ordered to stand part of the Bill. The Deputy Speaker resumed the Chair. Bill reported, without amendment. Third Reading
Non-Domestic Rating (Public Lavatories) Bill — House of Commons, 2020-09-03
Topic: Mixed Topics
Catherine Malloy Hollern (Labour, Centre-left): I will keep this brief, as I am sure the Minister will be pleased to hear. It is disappointing that the Government have rejected our amendments, which, for reasons already outlined, we believe would have further widened public access to loos. The Minister will be aware that there are strong feelings in both Houses about the number, quality and accessibility of public loos, and the Lords will return to the matters that we have raised in our amendments The Bill as it stands is a welcome attempt to cover some of the costs associated with public lavatories, and for that reason, we will support it. The relief that the Bill provides does not cover all the costs of maintaining public loos, given the enhanced cleaning regimes that councils and other loo providers have put in place to tackle covid I sincerely hope that introducing the Bill at this time is a signal from the Government that they are committed to supporting councils, many of which have run public toilets during this crisis. If the Government are serious about saving public loos, they should also consider our request to carry out an equality impact assessment. Doing so would be a tangible demonstration that the Government are committed to supporting the most vulnerable Question put and agreed to. Bill accordingly read the Third time and passed.
Covid-19: Care Home Visits — House of Commons, 2020-11-17
Topic: Mixed Topics
Elizabeth Louise Kendall (Labour, Centre-left): I am afraid the Government’s pilot scheme simply fails to understand the scale or urgency of the task. The average time someone spends in a care home before they pass away is two years, so after eight months of not being able to visit, families do not have a moment to lose. If the Government believe that weekly tests make it safe for care home staff to go to work, why not just do the same for families? Will the Minister now agree that a proportion of the 157,000 tests that are currently spare capacity every day will be ring-fenced for family visits so that we can safely bring all families back together in time for Christmas?
Speaker’s Statement — House of Commons, 2020-11-17
Topic: Other
Lindsay Harvey Hoyle (Labour, Centre-left): Before the urgent question, I wish to make a short statement about Divisions. Last week, I announced that the number of proxies in operation meant that I could reduce the voting time before the doors are locked from 12 minutes to 10. I can now reduce the time further, to the normal time of eight minutes from the start of the Division. As at present, the occupant of the Chair may extend the time in a particular Division where there is evidence of delays or problems getting to the Division Lobbies.
Continuity Trade Agreements: Parliamentary Scrutiny — House of Commons, 2020-11-17
Topic: Other
Lindsay Harvey Hoyle (Labour, Centre-left): Order. I granted the urgent question in order for the question to be heard, but I cannot hear the Minister’s reply. I do not want a dialogue all the way through, please. I grant them on the basis that there is a need to listen to what is being said.
Points of Order — House of Commons, 2020-11-17
Topic: Other
Lindsay Harvey Hoyle (Labour, Centre-left): I know that the hon. Gentleman—as a person of long standing in this House, and great knowledge —knows that there are other avenues to pursue. Let me say once again that it is totally unacceptable for Members of Parliament not to get responses within the named time. The Procedure Committee will be listening to what we have already said, and I know that the Leader of the House is very concerned. The title is "named day questions", and those questions should therefore be answered as such. It is completely unacceptable for questions not to be answered after six months. I am tempted to say that if there were an urgent question to be asked on the subject of named day questions, one could be tempted In order to allow the safe exit of hon. Members participating in this item of business and the safe arrival of those participating in the next, I am suspending the House for three minutes.
National Security and Investment Bill — House of Commons, 2020-11-17
Topic: Mixed Topics
Kevan David Jones (Labour, Centre-left): I welcome a lot of the proposals in the Bill, including on the issue of land and the removal of the thresholds in terms of ownership. One way that people have been able not only to get influence in this country but to launder money has been through the purchase of large amounts of property in the UK, which were highlighted in the Intelligence and Security Committee’s report on Russia. Does the Secretary of State see the Bill addressing that issue?
National Security and Investment Bill — House of Commons, 2020-11-17
Topic: Mixed Topics
Edward Samuel Miliband (Labour, Centre-left): The right hon. Gentleman has taken a huge interest in these issues and, again, speaks with great expertise, and he may well be right that it is possible to do more on the definition. I am sure that is something the Secretary of State will consider. I can see there are definitely challenges, but I would agree with the right hon. Gentleman that the more guidance there can be for business about this, the better, because the more we will avoid a mountain of notifications that are not necessary and the more clarity there will be and the greater protection for our economy Fourthly, I want to talk about the role of this House in scrutinising the effects of this legislation. A large number of areas are left to delegated legislation in this Bill. Notably, the Bill enables Ministers to add new sectors to those subject to mandatory notification. I understand some of the reasons for this, but I do hope there can be proper scrutiny, if that is the case, in this House and, indeed, interaction with business. Given the sensitive nature of the issues involved in this Bill, I do think there needs to be a way—an annual report is envisaged, I believe, by the Secretary of State—for this House to monitor how this is working in practice I do not speak for it, but we have a special Committee of the House—the Intelligence and Security Committee—that can look at these issues. I would like to raise the question with the Secretary of State whether it could play a role in scrutinising the working of the regime and some of the decisions being made, because there are real restrictions on the kind of transparency there can be on these issues for the reasons raised by my right hon. Friend the Member for North Durham (Mr Jones). The ISC is in a sense purpose-built for some of these issues Again, this is one of a range of issues we will seek to raise during the passage of the Bill, because I think that it is really important. We see our role as a constructive Opposition to get this right. There is a shared understanding across this House that we need to update our legislation. There does need to be proper scrutiny, and I hope that there can be good scrutiny in Committee and an openness on the Government side to the points that are made across the House in relation to improving the legislation and a proper way to look at its operation, which is vital to our businesses.
National Security and Investment Bill — House of Commons, 2020-11-17
Topic: Mixed Topics
Edward Samuel Miliband (Labour, Centre-left): My right hon. Friend makes a very important point. Indeed, my hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle upon Tyne Central and I were discussing this very issue last night—that these issues can interact I will just say this and then I will conclude, Mr Deputy Speaker, I promise. I think the public are in a different place from some of the Government Members who have spoken. I think the public really recognise this issue. We have many great companies, but some of them have been subject to takeover, and the public do not really understand why and they do not really understand why the Government have not played more of a role. I can see some hon. Members nodding Updating legislation to protect national security is long overdue, and we welcome it. We will support the Government as they seek to protect national security and defend our country. We will push them to go further on industrial strategy and the takeover regime. We think this is the moment to be bold and develop the industrial strategy that 21st century Britain needs, but we want to see this Bill pass through the House. We will engage on it constructively, and I know from the Secretary of State and the way he operates that he will do the same.
National Security and Investment Bill — House of Commons, 2020-11-17
Topic: Mixed Topics
Kevan David Jones (Labour, Centre-left): Does the hon. Gentleman agree that this unit or some of the individuals in it will need a high classification of security clearance? Without that, they will not be able to make informed judgments on some of these applications.
National Security and Investment Bill — House of Commons, 2020-11-17
Topic: Mixed Topics
Stephen Nathan Kinnock (Labour, Centre-left): My hon. Friend is making an excellent speech. Does she agree that the fact that 57 items of our critical national infrastructure—including, of course, nuclear, but also other energy and airports—are reliant on Chinese supply chains demonstrates the abject failure of this Government to bring forward a proper industrial strategy?
National Security and Investment Bill — House of Commons, 2020-11-17
Topic: Other
Rosalie Winterton (Labour, Centre-left): Order. Just before the right hon. Gentleman replies, let me give a gentle reminder that we have a lot of speakers still to go and I know the Minister wants to give a full reply at the end.
National Security and Investment Bill — House of Commons, 2020-11-17
Topic: Mixed Topics
Stephen Nathan Kinnock (Labour, Centre-left): The right hon. Member has pointed to the fact that it is such a broad, cross-departmental issue that it requires more than just one pair of eyes—if he will excuse the pun—to look at it Time and again, we have seen that the takeover regime is not fit for purpose. It is welcome that we are finally coming into line with other countries on national security, but we are still behind on takeovers that would harm the national interest more broadly. Protecting our national security is only one element of protecting, nurturing and developing the vital sectors of the future that we know are crucial for our economy Given the economic dislocation and potential corporate vulnerability caused by coronavirus, the case for action is stronger than ever. I will support the Bill, but we need to see improvements and further regulation to protect British business and the broader national interest.
Speaker’s Statement — House of Commons, 2020-09-23
Topic: Other
Lindsay Harvey Hoyle (Labour, Centre-left): I remind colleagues that deferred Divisions will take place today on seven statutory instruments in the Members’ Library between 11.30 am and 3.30 pm. Members will cast their votes by placing their completed Division slip in one of the ballot boxes provided. I remind colleagues of the importance of social distancing during deferred Divisions and ask them to pick up a Division slip from the Vote Office and fill it in before they reach the Library, if possible. The result will be announced in the Chamber as soon as possible after the Division is over.
Online Abuse — House of Commons, 2020-09-23
Topic: Mixed Topics
Nicholas Desmond John Smith (Labour, Centre-left): I am glad that the Minister recognises this point. Almost one in two women report experiencing online abuse since the start of covid-19. However, the Government have delayed the draft of the online harms Bill until, I understand, the end of 2021. Legislation is clearly needed now, so when will the Government bring the Bill forward?
LGBT Action Plan — House of Commons, 2020-09-23
Topic: Civil Rights
Daniel Joseph Carden (Labour, Centre-left): After an organisation in Anfield in my constituency was exposed for offering "cures" for homosexuality involving rituals and starvation, the Government gave me a commitment in this House that they would ban these so-called conversion therapies. That was back in 2018 and there is real concern that the new Government are backtracking on LGBT rights. So when will the Government bring forward a ban on these harmful practices, as promised in their own LGBT action plan? Following the Minister’s response yesterday on changes to the Gender Recognition Act 2004, which fell well short of what is needed to secure the rights of trans people in the UK, will she make a full statement in the Chamber to allow proper debate on it?
Statutory Sick Pay — House of Commons, 2020-09-23
Topic: Mixed Topics
Olivia Frances Blake Dagnall (Labour, Centre-left): Research by my union, the GMB, has shown that a failure to raise statutory sick pay to Liverpool rates has had serious detrimental effects on particular groups in our society. The status quo is disproportionately harming women workers, older workers, disabled workers, black and minority ethnic workers, workers who hold particular religious beliefs and workers who are married or in a civil partnership. Does the Minister agree that the Government should do an equality impact assessment of these policies and do more to ensure that statutory sick pay is set at a liveable rate?
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2020-09-23
Topic: Civil Rights
Marsha Chantol De Cordova (Labour, Centre-left): Yesterday, after nearly three years, the Government finally published their response on reforming the Gender Recognition Act 2004; disgracefully, they have let the trans community down. The written statement said that the Government are opening at least three new gender clinics this year. Will the Minister clarify whether the mention of those three clinics was a reference to the pilot services committed to by the previous Government in 2018, or represent a new investment by this Government to improve trans healthcare?
Engagements — House of Commons, 2020-09-23
Topic: Other
Lindsay Harvey Hoyle (Labour, Centre-left): Sorry. I will just say to the Whip, the hon. Member for Halesowen and Rowley Regis (James Morris), that there is a little bit of rowdiness coming from the Opposition, but also from your good self—I would normally never have that from you. I want to be able to hear the Prime Minister. When I cannot hear him, I worry about the people who watch our proceedings. If you have further comment to make, please speak to me afterwards.