argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
British Citizens Imprisoned Overseas and Coronavirus — House of Commons, 2020-03-02
Topic: International Affairs
Imran Nasir Ahmad Khan (Conservative, Centre-right): Can my hon. Friend confirm that, while dealing with Nazanin’s case, Her Majesty’s Government will continue to advocate the release of all our dual nationals detained by Iran? Will he also update the House on the welfare and security of Her Majesty’s ambassador, and of all Crown servants and other British embassy staff and their dependants who are in Tehran?
British Citizens Imprisoned Overseas and Coronavirus — House of Commons, 2020-03-02
Topic: International Affairs
Nigel Adams (Conservative, Centre-right): As I mentioned in my statement, we have reduced the number of staff in our embassy in Tehran. That was a precautionary but very much a temporary measure. Our essential staff will continue to do their critical work, and they will remain in post.
British Citizens Imprisoned Overseas and Coronavirus — House of Commons, 2020-03-02
Topic: International Affairs
Nigel Adams (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Gentleman is spot on. That is exactly what we want to do, and it is why we have reached out with assistance today, alongside France and Germany. At a time of global crisis such as this, it is incredibly important for countries to come together to support the most vulnerable. Given the number of cases and the number of deaths experienced by Iran, we will of course take that into consideration, and that is why we are offering our support.
British Citizens Imprisoned Overseas and Coronavirus — House of Commons, 2020-03-02
Topic: International Affairs
Katherine Fletcher (Conservative, Centre-right): May I associate myself with the comments of the right hon. Member for Islington South and Finsbury (Emily Thornberry)? Using mothers as political footballs is rarely a good look, but she finds herself in a difficult position, in part because of the failure of some of the medical staff and the overview that the Iranian Government have. Does the Minister agree that Professor Chris Whitty, the chief medical officer, and his team have done the most wonderful job since before Christmas, and we should be very grateful that we have them as part of the British association?
British Citizens Imprisoned Overseas and Coronavirus — House of Commons, 2020-03-02
Topic: International Affairs
Paul John Holmes (Conservative, Centre-right): I am sure the Minister will agree that a huge part of containing the virus internationally is quick decision making at the Foreign Office, so what organisational changes has he made at the Foreign Office to monitor and protect British nationals overseas who are at risk of getting coronavirus, and to act quickly once they are identified?
British Citizens Imprisoned Overseas and Coronavirus — House of Commons, 2020-03-02
Topic: International Affairs
Nigel Adams (Conservative, Centre-right): The Foreign Office has not been slow to respond to this threat. I can assure my hon. Friend that the crisis response team, which is headquartered in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, has been working round the clock with our teams and embassies throughout the world. We are providing consular assistance to British nationals affected in areas that have the virus and, crucially, we are working with our partners across the world to co-ordinate those responses.
British Citizens Imprisoned Overseas and Coronavirus — House of Commons, 2020-03-02
Topic: International Affairs
Nigel Adams (Conservative, Centre-right): When prisoners abroad fall under the jurisdictions of the countries where they are, our embassies and our consular network stand ready to give support to those who are imprisoned. It is important that we keep up that dialogue. It is irrelevant whether the people in prison are British nationals or otherwise; they are still entitled to support, should they request it, and in some cases they have been requesting it.
British Citizens Imprisoned Overseas and Coronavirus — House of Commons, 2020-03-02
Topic: International Affairs
Nigel Adams (Conservative, Centre-right): As the hon. Lady will appreciate, it is impossible for consular staff to gain access to the prison. We are in contact with Nazanin’s family and the families of other detainees at Evin prison, so we get reports back from the families and they provide incredibly useful intelligence when we are making our representations to Foreign Ministers from Iran.
British Citizens Imprisoned Overseas and Coronavirus — House of Commons, 2020-03-02
Topic: International Affairs
Nigel Adams (Conservative, Centre-right): As I mentioned previously, we continue to have dialogue with the Iranian authorities. We have been speaking with them today. Under any international rules system, prisoners should be afforded the best possible treatment. We are in constant contact with the Iranian authorities and I can assure the hon. Lady that her constituent will be getting equal attention in terms of our consular efforts.
UK-US Trade Deal — House of Commons, 2020-03-02
Topic: Foreign Trade
Liam Fox (Conservative, Centre-right): I congratulate my right hon. Friend on her statement. Will she confirm not only that UK exports to the United States currently attract half a billion pounds-worth of tariffs, the removal of which will be an immediate boost to the UK economy, but that the opportunities are even greater? We are currently involved in retaliatory tariffs as a result of the EU-US steel dispute and we are subject to tariffs that the US never wanted to apply to the UK. As we separate ourselves from the European Union, we can remove ourselves from the ensnarement of that, which will enable us to remove many other tariffs, which would be beneficial to both consumers and businesses on both sides of the Atlantic.
UK-US Trade Deal — House of Commons, 2020-03-02
Topic: Foreign Trade
Elizabeth Mary Truss (Conservative, Centre-right): My right hon. Friend is absolutely right. May I thank him for the work that he put in as Trade Secretary, which has got us to this point where we are able to launch these negotiating objectives, and for doing all the fantastic work that he did with our colleagues in the United States? I know the Labour party does not seem to think that tariffs are important, but that is not so for a pottery manufacturer in Stoke-on-Trent who is facing 28% tariffs on their dinnerware going into the US. If we get those tariffs removed, that will mean that that factory is able to employ more people, grow its business and invest. Yet again, that is the Labour party refusing to understand how enterprise works and where wealth comes from in this country My right hon. Friend is right about the steel industry. It is currently facing £300 million-worth of tariffs a year. If we can get those tariffs removed, that provides a brilliant opportunity for our steel industry to sell more products in the United States.
UK-US Trade Deal — House of Commons, 2020-03-02
Topic: Foreign Trade
Elizabeth Mary Truss (Conservative, Centre-right): I have news for the hon. Gentleman: we have already left the European Union, although the news might not have reached him Scotland is one of the largest potential beneficiaries of a US-UK free trade agreement. The hon. Gentleman sniffs at the half a billion pound extra value added to the Scottish economy that is analysed, but a number of Scottish businesses are supportive, including the Scottish chamber of commerce. I suggest that he listens, as we have been doing, to businesses in Scotland about how they can see their businesses grow The hon. Gentleman specifically mentioned standards. In free trade agreements, including in the comprehensive and economic trade agreement, or CETA, there are often clauses saying that the parties will not deliberately lower standards for competitive advantage. That is what we are referring to in our US negotiating objectives and it is a perfectly proper and regular part of free trade agreements that we are happy to sign up to.
UK-US Trade Deal — House of Commons, 2020-03-02
Topic: Agriculture
Theresa Anne Villiers (Conservative, Centre-right): Is the Secretary of State able to promise that the Government will not remove current restrictions or tariffs on food imports unless those imports are produced to standards of animal welfare as tough as the ones that we expect our own farmers to meet?
UK-US Trade Deal — House of Commons, 2020-03-02
Topic: Agriculture
Elizabeth Mary Truss (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank my right hon. Friend for her question. As we make very clear in the negotiating objectives, we will not lower our standards. We will maintain our food safety and animal welfare standards and will not lower them as part of this free trade agreement. We decide which standards we abide by here in the UK. We have exceptionally high standards of animal welfare, and my right hon. Friend herself is a champion of that. We are not going to be told by the US what our standards should be; for that matter, we are not going to be told what our standards should be by the EU either.
UK-US Trade Deal — House of Commons, 2020-03-02
Topic: Foreign Trade
Elizabeth Mary Truss (Conservative, Centre-right): The right hon. Gentleman is a great champion of free trade on the Labour Benches, and I hope that his views prevail and become more mainstream in Labour party opinion. He makes a good point. Of course, there are strong economics behind this trade deal as we have outlined today. But there are those who seek to undermine the proposals and the benefits for British businesses with various smears and scare stories about the NHS, animal welfare standards or other issues. Those people damage the potential for British businesses and our economy. We are determined to rebut the false stories that they are putting out and to make sure that we put across the positive case for the whole UK.
UK-US Trade Deal — House of Commons, 2020-03-02
Topic: Foreign Trade
David Gordon Mundell (Conservative, Centre-right): I do not share the Scottish National party’s miserable analysis of the trade deal; I see great opportunities for Scotland from a deal. But there is a cloud on the horizon: the 25% duty currently applied to malt whisky. What confidence can the Secretary of State give us that at the end of this process there will be no duties on Scotch whisky of any kind in the United States and no duty on bourbon in the United Kingdom?
UK-US Trade Deal — House of Commons, 2020-03-02
Topic: Foreign Trade
Elizabeth Mary Truss (Conservative, Centre-right): My right hon. Friend is right that this is a major issue for our excellent Scotch whisky producers and other companies such as Walkers shortbread and cashmere producers. I raised the issue again with Ambassador Lighthizer when I saw him last week. I want there to be an urgent settlement of the Airbus-Boeing dispute so that retaliatory tariffs on things such as bourbon, Harley-Davidsons and Florida orange juice as well as on our excellent products here in the UK can be removed. I am urging, as an early part of these trade negotiations, the removal of existing tariffs to show good will towards the negotiations.
UK-US Trade Deal — House of Commons, 2020-03-02
Topic: Foreign Trade
Elizabeth Mary Truss (Conservative, Centre-right): I welcome the hon. Gentleman’s agreement with me that removing barriers to trade is good for everybody—it is good internationally and good here in the UK. One thing he fails to point out, though, is that there are huge benefits in regulatory freedom and flexibility. As the UK is able to decide its own rules and regulations, we can be more nimble and agile in the modern world—a key benefit of our leaving the European Union and having a Canada-style deal with the EU.
UK-US Trade Deal — House of Commons, 2020-03-02
Topic: Foreign Trade
Mark Robert Timothy Garnier (Conservative, Centre-right): I agree with my right hon. Friend’s comment that the US is very excited about this trade deal—not just Washington politics, but across the whole United States I want to press the food standards point. The US is the biggest exporter of agricultural products in the world. Does my right hon. Friend agree that it achieves that through selling products that the world wants and not through forcing unwanted products on unwilling consumers?
UK-US Trade Deal — House of Commons, 2020-03-02
Topic: Foreign Trade
Elizabeth Mary Truss (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend is absolutely right that good export champions are companies that suit the markets that they serve. We will maintain our standards about what we believe to be right for UK consumers in line with the values of the farmers and people of the UK. It will be up to those that supply us—the US, the EU or anybody else—to fit with those standards. That is the nature of trade agreements.
UK-US Trade Deal — House of Commons, 2020-03-02
Topic: Foreign Trade
Elizabeth Mary Truss (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Member is right to highlight this issue. However, a free trade agreement is specifically about the rules around trade. There are other organisations that set global standards in other issues. The World Health Organisation will, of course, be taking a lead on the environment in terms of COP26. There is always a bit of a danger in trying to pile too many issues into free trade agreements. This free trade agreement is all about ensuring that British consumers and businesses benefit from increased trade with the UK.
UK-US Trade Deal — House of Commons, 2020-03-02
Topic: Foreign Trade
Fay Alicia Jones (Conservative, Centre-right): I very much welcome this statement, particularly the opportunity for all four corners of the UK to benefit. May I ask my right hon. Friend to outline how a free trade deal with the United States will benefit mid Wales, and my constituents in Brecon and Radnorshire in particular?
UK-US Trade Deal — House of Commons, 2020-03-02
Topic: Foreign Trade
Elizabeth Mary Truss (Conservative, Centre-right): I am still to take up my hon. Friend’s invitation to visit one of the sheep markets in her constituency, but I am looking forward to it because I believe that Welsh lamb is a prime product, and we want to get it into the US market. We also want to remove tariffs on Welsh dairy products going into the US. Our projection shows that agriculture overall—and specifically in Wales—will benefit from a US trade deal.
UK-US Trade Deal — House of Commons, 2020-03-02
Topic: Foreign Trade
Jonathan Simon Djanogly (Conservative, Centre-right): In welcoming this statement, I note that the very substantial and comprehensive Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership negotiations seemed to be distorted, by the media and many lobbying interests, into little more than one or two contentious policy areas. Are we going to learn the TTIP lessons, and in particular ensure that when deal information is released for review by the US Congress, Parliament consents to that at the same time—to minimise room for unhelpful or one-sided comment or speculation?
UK-US Trade Deal — House of Commons, 2020-03-02
Topic: Government Operations
Elizabeth Mary Truss (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. and learned Member will be aware that the UK has a parliamentary system that is similar to those in Australia and New Zealand, and we are following a similar process to those Parliaments. It is a different structure from the separation of powers in the United States.
UK-US Trade Deal — House of Commons, 2020-03-02
Topic: Foreign Trade
Elizabeth Mary Truss (Conservative, Centre-right): We are very clear that we are negotiating on behalf of the entire UK, including Northern Ireland. The Minister of State, Department for International Trade, my right hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth West (Conor Burns), has been working closely with the Northern Ireland Executive.
UK-US Trade Deal — House of Commons, 2020-03-02
Topic: Agriculture
Derek Gordon Thomas (Conservative, Centre-right): The Agriculture Bill and the Environment Bill are going through Parliament at the moment, and require our food producers to meet the very highest environmental and food standards. I welcome the Secretary of State’s commitment that no compromise will be made regarding environmental protections, and animal welfare and food standards, but what reassurance can she give to food producers in my constituency who do not believe that they will be faced with a level playing field once the trade deal is done?
UK-US Trade Deal — House of Commons, 2020-03-02
Topic: Agriculture
Elizabeth Mary Truss (Conservative, Centre-right): I can assure my hon. Friend that it is written very clearly in our document that we will not be compromising on our food standards. I highlight to him the opportunities for agriculture in the west country of lowering barriers into the US and being able to export more of its fantastic products.
UK-US Trade Deal — House of Commons, 2020-03-02
Topic: Foreign Trade
Robert Alexander Courts (Conservative, Centre-right): Free trade is the greatest driver of global prosperity that the world has ever seen. Would the Secretary of State agree that in addition to the prospect of lowering prices for UK consumers, the high-tech businesses of west Oxfordshire can look forward to this massive global market being open to them—a market that also happens to be one of our closest friends?
UK-US Trade Deal — House of Commons, 2020-03-02
Topic: Technology
Elizabeth Mary Truss (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend is right. Some 79% of all the services we provide are supplied remotely—many of them into the United States. Having this underwriting on digital and data will really help companies in areas such as robotics, artificial intelligence and computer gaming, and will provide a massive strategic advantage for the UK against our competitors.
UK-US Trade Deal — House of Commons, 2020-03-02
Topic: Foreign Trade
Marcus John Hudson Fysh (Conservative, Centre-right): I welcome my right hon. Friend’s statement and the prospects for more engagement with the dynamic US economy. The Conservatives are the party of free trade. Whenever protectionism has been touted, such as in the elections of 1906 and 1923, it has not ended well for us. Does my right hon. Friend agree that there is big scope for more marketing support for our high-quality produce, such as Somerset cheddar and brie, and that fear of imports does not take account of the ability to deal in zero-tariff quota opening, rather than complete tariff reduction up to any amount?
UK-US Trade Deal — House of Commons, 2020-03-02
Topic: Foreign Trade
Elizabeth Mary Truss (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend has outlined a number of options; I will be interested to hear more as we go through the negotiations. He is right that we have great products that are currently facing tariffs of up to 18%, and that we could eliminate those and see more exports into the US market. We will be looking at our export strategy—the exports Minister, my hon. Friend the Member for Beverley and Holderness (Graham Stuart), is with me on the Front Bench—and ensuring that we turbocharge our exports as we go into this important year of being an independent trading nation.
UK-US Trade Deal — House of Commons, 2020-03-02
Topic: Foreign Trade
Elizabeth Mary Truss (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Member will notice that we are very clear in our negotiating objectives about the protection of intellectual property for the creative industries, and about the opportunities for better visas and travel. We will be working on that throughout the process.
UK-US Trade Deal — House of Commons, 2020-03-02
Topic: Foreign Trade
David Ian Jones (Conservative, Centre-right): US public procurement potentially offers exciting opportunities for British companies to access an enormous market. However, as my right hon. Friend will know, much public procurement in the United States is conducted at state and municipality level. How does she propose to reflect that state of affairs in any future free trade agreement?
UK-US Trade Deal — House of Commons, 2020-03-02
Topic: Foreign Trade
Mohammad Saqib Bhatti (Conservative, Centre-right): The fact of the matter is that our exports to the US are growing at a faster rate than they are to the EU. The west midlands has consistently had a trade surplus with the USA. Does the Secretary of State agree that a US trade deal would open up new markets for small and medium-sized businesses and herald many new opportunities for business and industry in the west midlands?
UK-US Trade Deal — House of Commons, 2020-03-02
Topic: Foreign Trade
Elizabeth Mary Truss (Conservative, Centre-right): There are huge opportunities in the midlands for further trade with the US. The midlands is already a very strong exporter to the US. I believe that one in five goods from there goes to the US market, but we can do more to remove tariffs and also to get rid of some of the testing procedures and non-tariff barriers that are stopping our car industry exporters so much.
UK-US Trade Deal — House of Commons, 2020-03-02
Topic: Foreign Trade
Ben Everitt (Conservative, Centre-right): I am sure that the Secretary of State is just as chuffed as I am to learn that Milton Keynes has been voted the best place outside London to do business, not least because of our thriving digital and data sector. What more will this US trade deal do for our digital and data sector?
UK-US Trade Deal — House of Commons, 2020-03-02
Topic: Technology
Elizabeth Mary Truss (Conservative, Centre-right): We want to achieve a world-leading data and digital agreement, underwriting data flows but also dealing with issues like blockchain and artificial intelligence, thereby making sure that we and the US are leading the world and able to share these economic opportunities.
UK-US Trade Deal — House of Commons, 2020-03-02
Topic: Foreign Trade
John Robert Lamont (Conservative, Centre-right): I very much welcome this statement, but I know that the Secretary of State is aware of the very negative impact that US tariffs are having, particularly in my constituency, on textiles and cashmere. I am pleased to hear what she is doing to address that, but can she reassure me that there will be some sort of restriction in the trade deal on the US imposing these arbitrary tariffs in future on whisky and other sectors within the Scottish economy?
UK-US Trade Deal — House of Commons, 2020-03-02
Topic: Foreign Trade
Elizabeth Mary Truss (Conservative, Centre-right): As has been pointed out, Scotch whisky has been hit by retaliatory tariffs between the US and the EU. Of course we want to see that settled. We also want to see resolution on the Airbus-Boeing dispute. In future, I would be seeking to avoid such tit-for-tat tariffs, making sure that we have agreement on both sides.
UK-US Trade Deal — House of Commons, 2020-03-02
Topic: International Affairs
Richard Michael John Ogilvie Graham (Conservative, Centre-right): The truth is that these negotiations and those with the EU are vital for business, growth and jobs across the UK. Does my right hon. Friend believe that the timing of the US presidential elections may give a fair wind to the urgency of resolution of her negotiations?
UK-US Trade Deal — House of Commons, 2020-03-02
Topic: International Affairs
Elizabeth Mary Truss (Conservative, Centre-right): We are pushing our full complement of resources into these negotiations, and so is the United States. I am not going to set a deadline on the negotiations but I certainly hope that the prevailing political wind will help us to conclude as early as we can.
UK-US Trade Deal — House of Commons, 2020-03-02
Topic: Foreign Trade
Joanna Mary Gideon (Conservative, Centre-right): I really welcome the visits by my right hon. Friend and by the Minister of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth West (Conor Burns) to Stoke-on-Trent. I think that my right hon. Friend is very well aware of the particular issues facing the ceramics industry. Within this ambitious trade deal, we certainly want punitive tariffs removed from the ceramics industry, and I hope that that will be part of any negotiations.