argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
Cultural Property (Armed Conflicts) Bill [Lords] — House of Commons, 2016-10-31
Topic: Mixed Topics
John Flasby Lawrance Whittingdale (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend makes an extremely good point. Most of the attention has been on wilful destruction, but he is absolutely right that the trade provides finance to Daesh. We must do everything we can to stamp that out, which is why I support the principle that it should be unlawful to deal in illegally exported cultural property I pay tribute to the efforts already made by the Ministry of Defence and commanders in the field to abide by the terms of the convention, even when it was not ratified. When the Committee took evidence from the MOD, it said it would review and strengthen the commitment it had already given that training should take account of the absolute priority of abiding by the requirements of the convention The Committee heard concern about one aspect of the Bill: the offence of dealing in unlawfully exported cultural property. The first concern was about the definition of occupied territories. At the time, we were told that it was a very narrow definition, or that only a narrow group of countries or territories could be considered to be occupied. In 2008, the regulatory impact assessment identified the Golan heights, East Jerusalem and the west bank. Unfortunately since that time, the list of occupied countries has grown—I draw attention to Crimea. For the purposes of certainty for those dealing in cultural objects, it would help if we clarified exactly which territories we consider to be occupied The more serious concern related to clause 17, which makes it an offence "to deal in unlawfully exported cultural property, knowing or having reason to suspect that it has been unlawfully exported." As has been pointed out by the legal advisers, there is a huge difference between "having reason to suspect" and "to suspect", which is causing concern. If the definition of the offence covers "reason to suspect", it gets into mens rea, as I understand lawyers call it. I will leave it to my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Harborough (Sir Edward Garnier) to say more on that subject with considerably greater expertise The issue was flagged up for the Committee when we looked at the Bill eight years ago, which is why we suggested a clearer requirement of dishonesty. That is what currently applies in the Theft Act 1968, which carries a penalty of seven years, and in the Dealing in Cultural Objects (Offences) Act 2003, which also carries a penalty of seven years. The Bill introduces a penalty of seven years, and therefore it seems reasonable to ask that the same threshold should be required. I am delighted to hear from the Secretary of State that she is aware of that concern and will have further discussions.
Cultural Property (Armed Conflicts) Bill [Lords] — House of Commons, 2016-10-31
Topic: Mixed Topics
John Flasby Lawrance Whittingdale (Conservative, Centre-right): That point was made by my hon. Friend the Member for East Worthing and Shoreham (Tim Loughton) earlier. The fact that there have been no convictions does not necessarily imply that the Act is not working—it is important to have it on the statute book. I do not believe that this country is full of dodgy art dealers who wilfully ignore the law and deal in plainly illegally exported objects.
Cultural Property (Armed Conflicts) Bill [Lords] — House of Commons, 2016-10-31
Topic: Other
John Simon Bercow (Conservative, Centre-right): Order. I do apologise to the right hon. and learned Gentleman, but when he leant down like that, I thought it was because he was approaching his peroration. That may have been a triumph of optimism over experience.
Cultural Property (Armed Conflicts) Bill [Lords] — House of Commons, 2016-10-31
Topic: Mixed Topics
Timothy Paul Loughton (Conservative, Centre-right): It is an interesting prospect, but I would much rather track down and prosecute the people who benefit from trafficking these antiquities. We do not want to set up a legitimate market, with Governments paying money to criminals. There are other ways of tracking down some of these important antiquities. I agree with my hon. Friend the Member for Newark that London has, by and large, a very legitimate market in antiques and antiquities. Obviously there are a few people who are the exception to that, but London has an excellent reputation compared with many other parts of the world. Hopefully, this Bill will prompt the United States Government to ratify the protocols, as it is suggested that they have been looking for a lead from a significant military ally We have heard several examples of recent high-profile tragedies involving cultural terrorism: the 2015 looting of the Mosul museum; the vandalism of the Nergal Gate at Nineveh; and the destruction of the temple of Baalshamin at Palmyra—separate to the triumphal arch of Palmyra, which the hon. Member for Cardiff West conflated it with, but an important monument to that civilisation. All those tragedies were at the hands of Daesh. Indeed, Palmyra should be treated as a crime scene, given the damage that was done there. Fortunately, there was not as much damage as Daesh might have inflicted on it had it been given more time In other continents, shrines were deliberately destroyed by Boko Haram in Nigeria. We have heard one bit of good news, which is the first prosecution in the International Criminal Court of Ahmad al-Mahdi for his destruction in Timbuktu, the centre of Sufi Islam. He directed the destruction of 15th and 16th century Sufi tombs and the burning of the library in Timbuktu. His verdict just last month gave out a nine-year prison sentence for that cultural vandalism. That sends out a very important message, and we need to see many more people being brought to justice to emphasise just how important a crime against humanity this is.
Cultural Property (Armed Conflicts) Bill [Lords] — House of Commons, 2016-10-31
Topic: Mixed Topics
Timothy Paul Loughton (Conservative, Centre-right): May I continue a little, because I know that the Minister will want to respond on this There has also been mention of Yemen. Again, I was fortunate enough to be able to visit Yemen just before the civil war broke out—I am not a precursor to these civil wars, but I was in the country when it was a slightly less dangerous place to be. There are four UNESCO world heritage sites in Yemen: the historic town of Zabid; the old walled city of Shibam, the Chicago of the desert, with 16th century skyscrapers—the earliest skyscrapers in the world—made out of mud brick rising out of the desert; the magical walled medieval city of Sana’a itself; and the natural world heritage site on the island of Socotra. These sites are going largely under the radar. We hear more about the carnage being waged in Yemen, but little about the important cultural background to that country. Those are just a few of the sites that we know about.
Justice Committee — House of Commons, 2016-10-31
Topic: Other
Andrew James Bridgen (Conservative, Centre-right): If that is the right hon. Gentleman’s belief, I suggest he speaks in the debate on behalf of the right hon. Member for Leicester East. Representing a Committee of the House reflects on this House. As a Member of the House, I have a right to object.
Justice Committee — House of Commons, 2016-10-31
Topic: Other
John Simon Bercow (Conservative, Centre-right): It is the House that appoints to the Committee, and it is for the House to decide. It is on that basis that these matters are brought to the House and subject to motions moved by the Committee of Selection. Of course, as the right hon. Gentleman’s long experience will tell him, it is normal and commonplace for these matters to go through without objection, but it is perfectly orderly for someone to object if he or she so wishes.
Justice Committee — House of Commons, 2016-10-31
Topic: Other
John Simon Bercow (Conservative, Centre-right): Order. I will come to the hon. Gentlemen —he will continue his speech in a moment. He himself anticipated the possibility that the Chair might take an interest if he were to cross the line between what was legitimate and orderly to say and what was not. Thus far, the hon. Gentleman has observed that distinction and, on that basis, I am content for him at this stage to continue.
Justice Committee — House of Commons, 2016-10-31
Topic: Other
John Simon Bercow (Conservative, Centre-right): I entirely understand what the right hon. Gentleman is saying. I am not insensitive to him or to his point, which he has made with his usual force and eloquence. That said, a convention is one thing and a binding rule is another. I must simply make the point that, at this stage, the hon. Member for North West Leicestershire (Andrew Bridgen) is in order. He may have offended the sensibilities of the right hon. Gentleman, and indeed departed from what is normal convention in this place, but he is at this stage in order.
Justice Committee — House of Commons, 2016-10-31
Topic: Other
James Jacob Gilchrist Berry (Conservative, Centre-right): Before my hon. Friend draws his remarks to a conclusion, some correspondence has been referred to this evening. I wonder if he will say whether it is possible to publish that correspondence to ensure that hon. Members on both sides of the House have an opportunity to consider all of the facts.
Justice Committee — House of Commons, 2016-10-31
Topic: Other
John Simon Bercow (Conservative, Centre-right): Order. That is nothing to do with the debate, as I have just been advised by the Clerk of the House. Don’t frown at me, Mr Berry. I know the facts and you’re about to learn them. That is nothing to do with the debate tonight—point one. Secondly, there is no uncertainty or dubiety whatsoever about the correspondence between the hon. Gentleman and me. Indeed, I do not think there is any uncertainty at all about the advice that was proffered not just by me but by the Clerk of the House. Whether he wishes and is astute enough to take that advice is another matter.
Justice Committee — House of Commons, 2016-10-31
Topic: Mixed Topics
Andrew James Bridgen (Conservative, Centre-right): Thank you, Mr Speaker. I thank my hon. Friend’s failed attempt to help in this debate It is clear that the right hon. Member for Leicester East felt the need to resign last month from the Home Affairs Committee. I think it would be a huge mistake for this House now to place him on the Justice Committee when he has so many questions to answer. I urge all right hon. and hon. Members to vote against his appointment this evening Question put.
House Building and Planning — House of Commons, 2016-10-24
Topic: Housing
Questions: What recent assessment he has made of the effect on (a) house building and (b) affordability of housing of allowing urban property owners to build up, not out, to the height of the tallest building in the same block without requiring planning permission.
Sajid Javid (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend highlights the importance of increasing brownfield development and building to higher densities to deliver more homes. I announced our plan for urban regeneration at our party conference and I will set out further proposals as part of our housing White Paper later this year.
House Building and Planning — House of Commons, 2016-10-24
Topic: Housing
Questions: What recent assessment he has made of the effect on (a) house building and (b) affordability of housing of allowing urban property owners to build up, not out, to the height of the tallest building in the same block without requiring planning permission.
John David Penrose (Conservative, Centre-right): I am delighted at the progress that my right hon. Friend has made so far, but may I urge him to go further still? I encourage him to include proposals to build up, not out, in his forthcoming White Paper, to cut development pressure on green fields, release huge numbers of new buildable sites, regenerate urban centres and, most important of all, cut the cost of new homes dramatically?
House Building and Planning — House of Commons, 2016-10-24
Topic: Housing
Questions: What recent assessment he has made of the effect on (a) house building and (b) affordability of housing of allowing urban property owners to build up, not out, to the height of the tallest building in the same block without requiring planning permission.
Sajid Javid (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend is absolutely right to highlight the need for more homes in the right places so that the housing market works for everyone. That means encouraging urban regeneration, making the best of brownfield land and building new homes where people desperately need them. Later this year, my housing White Paper will ensure that that happens across the country, including Weston-super-Mare.
House Building and Planning — House of Commons, 2016-10-24
Topic: Housing
Questions: What recent assessment he has made of the effect on (a) house building and (b) affordability of housing of allowing urban property owners to build up, not out, to the height of the tallest building in the same block without requiring planning permission.
James Jacob Gilchrist Berry (Conservative, Centre-right): Recently the leader of Rossendale Borough Council and I wrote jointly to the Minister for Housing and Planning to say that our objectively assessed housing requirement did not take account of topographical and flooding issues in the Rossendale valley. Will the Secretary of State, on behalf of our hon. Friend the Minister, agree to a meeting with the leader of the local authority, Alyson Barnes, and me to discuss those specific issues?
House Building and Planning — House of Commons, 2016-10-24
Topic: Housing
Questions: What recent assessment he has made of the effect on (a) house building and (b) affordability of housing of allowing urban property owners to build up, not out, to the height of the tallest building in the same block without requiring planning permission.
Philip Thomas Hollobone (Conservative, Centre-right): I declare my interest as a member of Kettering Borough Council. My constituents would broadly support the idea of building up, not out, but in middle England towns such as Kettering, with its limited public transport options, the problem is that the more residents we squeeze into any street, the greater the pressure on parking spaces. Does my right hon. Friend accept that there is a big difference between inner-city developments and developments of this sort in middle England towns?
House Building and Planning — House of Commons, 2016-10-24
Topic: Housing
Questions: What recent assessment he has made of the effect on (a) house building and (b) affordability of housing of allowing urban property owners to build up, not out, to the height of the tallest building in the same block without requiring planning permission.
Sajid Javid (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend is right, and highlights the need for correct and adequate infrastructure in towns and villages across the country if we are to build the homes that we need. The proposals that we will introduce later this year, including the White Paper, will certainly take account of that.
Rough Sleeping — House of Commons, 2016-10-24
Topic: Housing
Sajid Javid (Conservative, Centre-right): One person sleeping on the streets is one too many. All too often, support and intervention are only provided at crisis point, which is why we have launched our £40 million homelessness prevention programme—an end-to-end approach to tackling homelessness and rough sleeping to get people back on their feet.
Rough Sleeping — House of Commons, 2016-10-24
Topic: Housing
Sajid Javid (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Lady raises an important issue. As she rightly points out, homelessness is not just an issue of providing enough homes but of dealing with other causes. There is a cross-party working group on homelessness, and the Government are working across all Departments to deal with these complex issues. I am sure that we will make further progress.
Rough Sleeping — House of Commons, 2016-10-24
Topic: Mixed Topics
James Whiteside Gray (Conservative, Centre-right): It is often alleged—I am not sure how much statistical evidence there is—that a disproportionate number of rough sleepers in Britain come from the armed services. Will the Secretary of State tell us, first, whether or not that is true and whether there is any statistical evidence; and secondly, what more can be done to ensure that when people leaved the armed services they are given proper accommodation and kept off the streets?
Rough Sleeping — House of Commons, 2016-10-24
Topic: Housing
Sajid Javid (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend is absolutely right to raise this issue. It is a disproportionate number, which is unacceptable. Almost all local authorities have signed up to the armed forces covenant, which will help, but we have to do more. The fact that the Government have committed £500 million to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping over the next four years will certainly help.
Rough Sleeping — House of Commons, 2016-10-24
Topic: Housing
Robert John Blackman (Conservative, Centre-right): Clearly, having any single individual sleeping rough in this country is a disgrace. Will my right hon. Friend take urgent action to identify the people who are sleeping rough and to ensure that they get the help and support that they need, so that they have a home of their own and they can get back to a normal way of life?
Rough Sleeping — House of Commons, 2016-10-24
Topic: Housing
Sajid Javid (Conservative, Centre-right): Of course the Government can help with that. My hon. Friend will know that last December the Government committed to looking at options, including legislation, to deal with homelessness and to help rough sleepers. I am pleased to announce to the House today that the Government will be supporting his Bill, the Homelessness Reduction Bill, which is also supported by Crisis and Shelter. I thank him for all his hard work on the Bill and also thank the Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, my hon. Friend the Member for Nuneaton (Mr Jones), who is responsible for local government.
Rough Sleeping — House of Commons, 2016-10-24
Topic: Housing
Sajid Javid (Conservative, Centre-right): The right hon. Gentleman has raised the issue of Labour in government. Let me remind him what happened—he was a Housing Minister for some of that time. Labour cut the number of houses available for social rent by 421,000. Since we have been in office, more council housing has been built, helping people to find homes, than in the entire 13 years of the Labour Government. If Labour had spent as much effort on building homes as it does on building its Front-Bench team, we would have had better results.
Rough Sleeping — House of Commons, 2016-10-24
Topic: Housing
Sajid Javid (Conservative, Centre-right): Again, the right hon. Gentleman raises his record in office. The House needs to be reminded that, under Labour, house building fell to its lowest level since the 1920s. That is Labour’s record, and Labour will never get away from it. Soon we will introduce a White Paper on housing. Let us see if he is able to support it.
Neighbourhood Plans — House of Commons, 2016-10-24
Topic: Housing
Sajid Javid (Conservative, Centre-right): The Government are fully committed to neighbourhood planning, which enables communities to shape the development and growth of their local area in a positive manner. The Neighbourhood Planning Bill will further strengthen and future-proof the process and ensure that communities have the support that they need.
Neighbourhood Plans — House of Commons, 2016-10-24
Topic: Housing
Jason McCartney (Conservative, Centre-right): I think we would all welcome local communities being involved in their local plans in more detail. However, does the Secretary of State agree that one of the big challenges is ensuring that developers use land that they already have planning permission for, with a particular emphasis, as we have heard, on brownfield sites?
Neighbourhood Plans — House of Commons, 2016-10-24
Topic: Housing
Sajid Javid (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend makes a good point. Where sites have planning permission, developers should move ahead as quickly as possible. People in desperate need of housing expect developers to work with the local authorities to deliver those new homes. That is why we are trying to help where we can. The Neighbourhood Planning Bill will make a difference, as will the £3 billion home building fund that was announced last month.
Neighbourhood Plans — House of Commons, 2016-10-24
Topic: Housing
Sajid Javid (Conservative, Centre-right): A community right to appeal would further slow down the planning process, which is not in anyone’s interest. We need more homes built in this country and we need them built quickly, and measures such as those in the Neighbourhood Planning Bill are precisely the ones that will help.
Neighbourhood Plans — House of Commons, 2016-10-24
Topic: Housing
Miriam Jane Alice Davies (Conservative, Centre-right): In Eastleigh, we face countless hostile planning applications, some destroying ancient woodland and beautiful green spaces. Does the Secretary of State agree that the borough council’s failure to deliver a local plan and much needed associated policies for neighbourhood plans prevents councils such as Botley from bringing forward their neighbourhood plans, thereby letting down my constituents?
Neighbourhood Plans — House of Commons, 2016-10-24
Topic: Housing
Sajid Javid (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend has been a consistent champion in this House of the need for Eastleigh to have an up-to-date and properly supported local plan. Eastleigh Borough Council needs to get its act together. Her constituents deserve to have their voices heard, and our neighbourhood plan will strengthen that right.
Neighbourhood Plans — House of Commons, 2016-10-24
Topic: Housing
Sajid Javid (Conservative, Centre-right): It would be wrong of me to comment on the detail of a particular planning application, but I hope that the hon. Gentleman will agree that the Neighbourhood Planning Bill, which is now before Parliament, will strengthen these neighbourhood plans. It will bring them into legal force far quicker, it will make it much easier to modify them and it will give more support, including financially, for communities to put them together.
High Streets (England) — House of Commons, 2016-10-24
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Andrew Theakstone Percy (Conservative, Centre-right): We all want to see our high streets succeed and thrive and that is why we have introduced the biggest cut in business rates, worth £6.7 billion. We have launched the high street pledge, we have introduced digital high street pilots, and we are celebrating our high streets through the Great British High Street award, the finalists of which we announced last week.
High Streets (England) — House of Commons, 2016-10-24
Topic: Mixed Topics
Luke Anthony Hall (Conservative, Centre-right): Thornbury High Street attracts visitors from around the country to its art festival, regular farmers markets and annual carnival. Does my hon. Friend recognise the contribution of tourism to local high streets, and how is he working with his colleagues at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to support high streets as local and regional tourism destinations?
High Streets (England) — House of Commons, 2016-10-24
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Andrew Theakstone Percy (Conservative, Centre-right): I know from my constituency how important the high street is in attracting people in. I pay tribute to my hon. Friend for the work he is doing in his constituency. We saw an increase in footfall in August of 1.1%. We are working closely across government with our colleagues in DCMS on funds such as the Discover England Fund and, of course, the Coastal Communities Fund, which is funding a significant number of projects that are all about increasing tourism and jobs in the tourism sector.