argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
Public Service Pensions and Judicial Offices Bill [Lords] — House of Commons, 2022-01-05
Topic: Labor
Richard Michael John Ogilvie Graham (Conservative, Centre-right): If this were to be reviewed, it would be worth noting that a very similar issue applies to doctors, many of whom are inhibited from returning to work—following the appeal from the Health Secretary—by precisely the same lack of flexibility on the pensions and earnings issue.
Public Service Pensions and Judicial Offices Bill [Lords] — House of Commons, 2022-01-05
Topic: Labor
Simon Richard Clarke (Conservative, Centre-right): I recognise my hon. Friend’s considerable expertise on this issue. I thank him for making that point, which is well worth our taking away. I will certainly commit myself to returning to him following any further discussions if that would be helpful Let me finally deal with the measures to establish new public pension schemes for the beneficiaries of the existing Bradford & Bingley and NRAM pension schemes. These pensions currently reside under UK Asset Resolution, the company that holds the Government’s remaining interests in Bradford & Bingley and Northern Rock. This is an important step in the Government’s careful long-term management of the financial sector assets acquired as a result of the financial crisis. I stress that all members, some of whom have worked for these organisations for around 30 years, will be protected. Their benefits will be at least as good as they are now under the new schemes and these measures will provide a secure, long-term home for members’ pensions My officials have worked closely and collaboratively with the devolved Administrations throughout the passage of the Bill. I am pleased to note that the Northern Ireland Executive have passed a legislative consent motion on the Bill and we are in discussions about a supplementary motion for the amendments that I have announced today. The Welsh Senedd is in the process of considering a motion and the Scottish Government are considering bringing a motion forward. I am grateful for their continued engagement on this issue Our public servants are the bedrock of our society. It is right that we reward them for what they do in a way that is fair, affordable and sustainable over the long term. The Bill’s measures seek to achieve all this while helping to address the specific recruitment and retention issues facing the judiciary. For those reasons, I commend the Bill to the House.
Public Service Pensions and Judicial Offices Bill [Lords] — House of Commons, 2022-01-05
Topic: Law and Crime
Robert James Buckland (Conservative, Centre-right): No, but I am happy to intervene. I do not want to make this too oleaginous, but the point my hon. Friend makes about capacity is a huge one. We do not have enough recorders or judges, no matter how many the Lord Chancellor signs back in after retirement. That, I am afraid, is because there has been a bit of a crisis in confidence, and therefore a lack of people coming forward to do these important roles. I reiterate what I said in my speech, which is that we need a world-class independent judiciary, and that is why the Bill is so important.
Committees — House of Commons, 2022-01-05
Topic: Government Operations
Nigel Martin Evans (Conservative, Centre-right): With the leave of the House, we will take motions 9 to 18 together Ordered, Business, Energy And Industrial Strategy That Judith Cummins and Sarah Owen be discharged from the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee and Tonia Antoniazzi and Andy McDonald be added Defence That Martin Docherty-Hughes be discharged from the Defence Committee and Dave Doogan be added Environmental Audit That Dan Carden be discharged from the Environmental Audit Committee and Valerie Vaz be added Environment, Food And Rural Affairs That Dave Doogan be discharged from the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee and Kirsty Blackman be added Foreign Affairs That Claudia Webbe be discharged from the Foreign Affairs Committee and Liam Byrne be added Health and Social Care That Ms Anum Qaisar be discharged from the Health and Social Care Committee and Martyn Day be added Justice That Janet Daby be discharged from the Justice Committee and Ms Diane Abbott be added Procedure That Kirsty Blackman be discharged from the Procedure Committee and Patrick Grady be added Transport That Lilian Greenwood be discharged from the Transport Committee and Navendu Mishra be added Women and Equalities That Anne McLaughlin be discharged from the Women and Equalities Committee and Ms Anum Qaisar be added.—(Sir Bill Wiggin, on behalf of the Committee of Selection.)
UK Productivity — House of Commons, 2022-01-11
Topic: Macroeconomics
Damien Moore (Conservative, Centre-right): I recently visited the Financial Planning Corporation in my constituency, whose impressive productivity has enabled it to expand its business. Will the Secretary of State confirm that if bills and taxes go up in the spring, local businesses will continue to operate in a productive environment, free from bureaucracy and unnecessary red tape?
UK Productivity — House of Commons, 2022-01-11
Topic: Technology
Kwasi Alfred Addo Kwarteng (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Gentleman will know that the UK has led the world in life sciences manufacturing. I am delighted that the Under-Secretary of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Mid Norfolk (George Freeman), has taken up the role of life sciences Minister. He has engaged with our manufacturing base, and people look to the UK as an outstanding example of a world-leading life sciences manufacturing nation.
Hospitality Sector: Covid-19 Support — House of Commons, 2022-01-11
Topic: Social Welfare
Paul Stuart Scully (Conservative, Centre-right): I support the personal care sector, which I have engaged with regularly over the past few weeks. My right hon. Friend refers to the hospitality sector, cafés and the like. The grants that we are now offering equate to the levels we were offering when those businesses were closed, in recognition of the chilling factor affecting the number of events booked in the lead-up to Christmas—that is the rationale behind it. The care sector can also get discretionary grants from the local authority.
Science and Innovation: Levelling Up — House of Commons, 2022-01-11
Topic: Technology
George William Freeman (Conservative, Centre-right): UK leadership in science, technology and innovation is already driving huge investment in new sectors, companies and clusters throughout the UK, from the Newquay spaceport to the Shetlands, and from Northern Ireland to Teesside, Aberdeen and other life science clusters around the country. However, we intend to go further, and following our innovation nation strategy, we are committed to supporting those clusters. I am engaged in talks with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, and details will be provided in the forthcoming levelling up White Paper.
Science and Innovation: Levelling Up — House of Commons, 2022-01-11
Topic: Technology
Karl McCartney (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend may know that a leading example of science and innovation as a key tool in achieving levelling up is the Lincoln Science and Innovation Park in my city constituency of Lincoln, which has been headed by the excellent Tom Blount for a number of years. The aptly named Boole Technology Centre, of calculus infamy, has been a great success to date and continues to expand even further, recently attracting notable international tenants and job providers. What financial support can our Government offer, so that organisations such as the Lincoln Science and Innovation Park can continue to grow and nurture companies such as KryptoKloud, and similar new ones can be created?
Science and Innovation: Levelling Up — House of Commons, 2022-01-11
Topic: Technology
George William Freeman (Conservative, Centre-right): I congratulate my hon. Friend, who has been a tireless advocate for the Lincoln cluster. He asked about funding. In the comprehensive spending review, we set out the biggest increase in investment in science and innovation for a generation. Specifically, 34 projects in the cluster are funded by UK Research and Innovation. I look forward to discussing this with my hon. Friend, who has made a powerful pitch for that centre to be recognised as a cluster, and I look forward to visiting it.
Science and Innovation: Levelling Up — House of Commons, 2022-01-11
Topic: Technology
George William Freeman (Conservative, Centre-right): That was a great question. The hon. Gentleman is right. In fact, there are several clusters in the Yorkshire area, and in a previous career I myself worked in the Sheffield university cluster, which is very powerful Our strategy is that if we wish to be both a global science superpower to attract investment internationally and an innovation nation, we will not achieve that by moving the golden triangle north. What we must do is increase spending in the north, which we are already doing, and grow the supply chains in, for instance, advanced manufacturing. We are not just an invention economy; we are also a manufacturing and innovation economy, and Yorkshire, and Sheffield specifically, have a big part to play in that.
Science and Innovation: Levelling Up — House of Commons, 2022-01-11
Topic: Technology
George William Freeman (Conservative, Centre-right): Yes. We are in the process of establishing the forum, and I want to ensure that we are talking not just to the same old people whom the Government always talk to but to the companies on the frontline—the leaders of the sectors of tomorrow. In the innovation strategy we set out seven high-growth sectors, and I will publish details of that in due course.
New Nuclear Power — House of Commons, 2022-01-11
Topic: Energy
Gregory William Hands (Conservative, Centre-right): Let me pay tribute to those who worked at Hunterston nuclear power station in Scotland, which closed a few days ago. The operators have reported that since the station came online in 1976 it has produced enough zero-carbon electricity to power every home in Scotland for nearly 31 years Looking ahead, the Government have announced a £120 million future nuclear enabling fund to support new nuclear and we are aiming for a final investment decision on at least one more large-scale nuclear project during this Parliament, subject to value for money and relevant approvals.
New Nuclear Power — House of Commons, 2022-01-11
Topic: Energy
Robert Goodwill (Conservative, Centre-right): What a shame that the Scottish National party is not pressing for a replacement of that old girl, who has given fantastic service over the years. Will the Minister reassure me that he sees nuclear as a way of not only replacing electricity capacity but producing the hydrogen we will need to power the heavy vehicles—the buses and trucks—of the future?
New Nuclear Power — House of Commons, 2022-01-11
Topic: Energy
Gregory William Hands (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank my right hon. Friend for that further question, and I totally agree with him on where the SNP is. On energy in general, SNP Members are not the friends of Scotland on nuclear or the North sea. He is also absolutely right on hydrogen. On the Government Benches we recognise that net zero needs nuclear for security of supply, to meet our decarbonisation targets and to support new industries such as hydrogen.
New Nuclear Power — House of Commons, 2022-01-11
Topic: Energy
Gregory William Hands (Conservative, Centre-right): I repeat my disappointment. Scotland has an amazing nuclear past and I would like it to have a very good nuclear future, but unfortunately the Scottish Government stand in the way. This country needs nuclear, and net zero needs nuclear. Hinkley is being built, and we are very confident of the numbers and of building new nuclear power stations in this country. That is what the Nuclear Energy (Financing) Bill—which secured its Third Reading yesterday with the support of the official Opposition but not of the SNP or the Lib Dems—is all about.
New Nuclear Power — House of Commons, 2022-01-11
Topic: Energy
Virginia Ann Crosbie (Conservative, Centre-right): My constituency is home to Wylfa Newydd, the best potential nuclear site in the UK. Will the Minister accept my invitation to visit Wylfa Newydd to see at first hand why the Prime Minister himself is a fervent supporter?
New Nuclear Power — House of Commons, 2022-01-11
Topic: Energy
Gregory William Hands (Conservative, Centre-right): I absolutely accept that invitation. There is no more passionate an advocate of new nuclear in this House than my hon. Friend. Nuclear is going to be a vital part of our future. The UN Economic Commission for Europe recently said that international climate objectives would not be met if nuclear power were excluded, so it is a key part of our net-zero ambitions.
New Nuclear Power — House of Commons, 2022-01-11
Topic: Energy
Gregory William Hands (Conservative, Centre-right): I absolutely share the right hon. Gentleman’s enthusiasm for SMRs. At the end of last year, the Secretary of State announced funding for SMRs of £250 million, working with Rolls-Royce and with the best of British industry and innovation on SMRs. I recently had a meeting with Sheffield MPs as well, where we talked about Sheffield’s potential to host SMRs, along with other sites. SMRs are very much part of our nuclear future.
New Nuclear Power — House of Commons, 2022-01-11
Topic: Energy
David Gordon Mundell (Conservative, Centre-right): Is the Minister aware that my constituency is on the frontline of the SNP Scottish Government’s dogmatic opposition to new nuclear power stations? For over 50 years, the Chapelcross power station near Annan provided much-needed jobs and a huge boost to the local economy, yet despite public support we cannot have Chapelcross 2 because the SNP is blocking it.
New Nuclear Power — House of Commons, 2022-01-11
Topic: Energy
Gregory William Hands (Conservative, Centre-right): My right hon. Friend has been a passionate defender of Scotland’s interests since he and I were first elected in 2005, and he is absolutely right. The SNP has a nonsensical policy towards energy in Scotland in general, and towards nuclear in particular. There is a great civil nuclear heritage in Scotland which the SNP has betrayed. I wholly agree with my right hon. Friend.
Night-time Economy — House of Commons, 2022-01-11
Topic: Macroeconomics
Paul Stuart Scully (Conservative, Centre-right): The business rates relief and VAT relief continue, but the grants the Chancellor has offered equate to the grants we previously offered when the same businesses were mandated to close, in recognition of the chilling effect. Clearly we will continue to work with the hospitality sector, which wants to stay open and trade normally. That is why we are learning to live with covid, in contrast with, for example, Labour-run Wales, where the hospitality sector has remained hampered by further restrictions.
Night-time Economy — House of Commons, 2022-01-11
Topic: Labor
Paul Stuart Scully (Conservative, Centre-right): I absolutely agree with my right hon. Friend. Interestingly, we now have 400,000 more people in work than before the pandemic, which is testament to the plan for jobs and the plan for growth, but we need to address the record number of vacancies. We need to match them with the people in work who want to work more hours, and we will do that between the Department for Work and Pensions and my work in BEIS. There will be a cross-Government approach to make sure hospitality can thrive.
Off-grid Homes: Emissions — House of Commons, 2022-01-11
Topic: Environment
Laura Trott (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank the Secretary of State for his answer. In Sevenoaks we are keen to play our part in achieving net zero, but many of my constituents in more rural areas are worried about the costs and feasibility of replacing their oil boilers as they are phased out. Can the Secretary of State provide reassurances to them, and all in a similar position, that safeguards will be put in place to ensure that alternatives are affordable and practical?
Off-grid Homes: Emissions — House of Commons, 2022-01-11
Topic: Energy
Kwasi Alfred Addo Kwarteng (Conservative, Centre-right): Very specifically in regard to her question, my hon. Friend will know that there is a £450 million boiler upgrade scheme, which was outlined in the CSR, that will provide up-front capital grants for the installation of low-carbon heating systems. She will also be aware that for lower-income households we have a £1.1 billion home upgrade grant, which will upgrade energy efficiency and increase low-carbon heating of non-gas homes across the country.
Life Sciences — House of Commons, 2022-01-11
Topic: Technology
George William Freeman (Conservative, Centre-right): As a result of this Government’s long-term life science strategy, now a 10-year strategy, I am delighted to be able to share with the House that the life science sector has grown, in terms of private investment, by 1,000% in the last 10 years and is creating jobs all around the UK—in Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales. At the heart of our strategy for the innovation nation, in our life science vision last summer we set out a plan, with £5 billion in the comprehensive spending review of funding for life science research, and we intend to support those clusters all around the UK.
Life Sciences — House of Commons, 2022-01-11
Topic: Macroeconomics
Simon Richard James Fell (Conservative, Centre-right): I welcome the effort that my hon. Friend has given to developing this important policy and his characteristic kindness in engaging with me on it. Clusters will be crucial to improving UK resilience and building our manufacturing capacity. In Ulverston we have an established base with GSK, but I want to see that grow, with new entrants like Lakes BioScience coming in, building high-skilled jobs and the supply chain. With that in mind, may I ask how the strategy will apply to south Cumbria? May I also invite him to the sunlit uplands of Ulverston to visit and see for himself?
Life Sciences — House of Commons, 2022-01-11
Topic: Education
George William Freeman (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend makes an important point about talent and is right that a powerful cluster is taking shape in the north-east. Following my return to the Government two months ago, my first visit was to the north-east. From Darlington to North of Tyne, an incredible cluster is taking shape, with the National Biologics Manufacturing Centre, the Centre for Process Innovation and the National Horizons Centre all in that golden mile in Darlington. It is an incredibly exciting time and I look forward to going back up to see my hon. Friend’s constituency and how we can develop a skills plan so that the sector can grow in the next five to 10 years.
Life Sciences — House of Commons, 2022-01-11
Topic: Technology
George William Freeman (Conservative, Centre-right): I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for raising that issue. With Queen’s University Belfast and the Randox cluster, Northern Ireland is a powerhouse in life sciences and both the Secretary of State and I have been to visit. I am delighted that the hon. Gentleman has made that point and will make sure that the Northern Ireland cluster is powerfully at the heart of our innovation strategy.
Life Sciences — House of Commons, 2022-01-11
Topic: Technology
George William Freeman (Conservative, Centre-right): I have had meetings with the hon. Member since she raised this issue previously. We are in the process of allocating—I repeat—the biggest ever increase in science and innovation funding for a generation. Once that process has been completed, we will begin to allocate the money throughout the country. The hon. Member has made a powerful intervention on behalf of that cluster, which I am going to come up to see. There is an exciting cluster of companies in the York, Harrogate and east of Yorkshire area.
Life Sciences — House of Commons, 2022-01-11
Topic: Technology
Stephen James Metcalfe (Conservative, Centre-right): To ensure that our fantastic life science sector continues to prosper and lead the world, we need to inspire the next generation of life scientists. What more can the Minister’s Department do to show that there is a place for everyone in the sector, regardless of race, background or gender, and that their future efforts could change lives both at home and abroad and tackle some of the great challenges that we know exist.
Scottish Businesses: UK Government — House of Commons, 2022-01-11
Topic: International Affairs
Lee Benjamin Rowley (Conservative, Centre-right): I know that this is a surprise to the Scottish nationalists, but we have made the decision as a country to leave the European Union, and we are now in the process of ensuring that that is a success, not just for businesses in Scotland, but for businesses all across the United Kingdom as a whole, and we will continue to do that in the months ahead.
Scottish Businesses: UK Government — House of Commons, 2022-01-11
Topic: Macroeconomics
Andrew Campbell Bowie (Conservative, Centre-right): Given that shops in Scotland had a greater reduction in footfall than any other part of the UK, given that the Scottish Licensed Trade Association has called the additional restrictions in Scotland a "knock-out blow", given that the Aberdeen and Grampian chamber of commerce has called on the Scottish Government to pay up or open up, and given the abandonment of the Scottish oil and gas sector and its workforce, will my hon. Friend be able to give an assessment of Scottish businesses’ confidence in the Scottish Government?
Baglan Energy Park — House of Commons, 2022-01-11
Topic: Energy
Questions: What recent discussions he has had with the Welsh Government on ensuring that the power supply for Baglan energy park remains connected until a permanent connection to the national grid is secured.
Lee Benjamin Rowley (Conservative, Centre-right): I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his question and for raising this issue. I know that this has been a challenging time for some tenants on the energy park. Given that these issues are largely devolved, officials from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and I are regularly in touch with the Welsh Government on this matter and this includes, as he is aware, an exchange of correspondence in the past few days, along with regular meetings between officials.
Baglan Energy Park — House of Commons, 2022-01-11
Topic: Energy
Questions: What recent discussions he has had with the Welsh Government on ensuring that the power supply for Baglan energy park remains connected until a permanent connection to the national grid is secured.
Lee Benjamin Rowley (Conservative, Centre-right): As I have said, I completely appreciate that this is a challenging time for tenants on the energy park. We have, as a UK Government, sought to review all of the powers that are available to the Government, including section 400 of the Insolvency Act. It is our view that it is not advisable to use that process at this stage. We have, as the hon. Gentleman knows, written to the Welsh Government giving a number of indicators about how we can mitigate the challenges and I look forward to speaking with the Welsh Government further, including in my meeting with the Minister for the Economy tomorrow.
Energy Transition Projects — House of Commons, 2022-01-11
Topic: Energy
Gregory William Hands (Conservative, Centre-right): May I start by welcoming the hon. Gentleman back to his place The Government support the energy transition by harnessing the industry’s existing potential to exploit new and emerging green technologies. As regards Scotland, we have a £20 million pot for tidal stream. The Acorn project has been allocated £40 million in carbon capture, usage and storage development funding so far, and in the hon. Gentleman’s own area, the Ayrshire growth deal has secured investment of £251 million, including up to £18 million for a centre for research and a low-carbon energy and circular economy.