argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
Royal Bank of Scotland — House of Commons, 2015-11-05
Topic: Mixed Topics
Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): The National Audit Office issued a highly critical report in September on how the Government manage their £222 billion of assets in RBS and 53 other financial institutions. Does the hon. Gentleman not agree that a transparent portfolio approach should be taken towards the management of such assets, as recommended by the NAO, and that a fair share of the profits arising should be directed to the areas most in need of real economic investment, such as Wales?
Welfare Reform and Work Bill — House of Commons, 2015-10-27
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): The right hon. Gentleman talks about prosperity, but he will know as well as I do that small businesses are one of the chief drivers of it. How does he square that with the cuts to small businesses and single earners’ income from their self-employment?
High Speed 2 — House of Commons, 2015-11-30
Topic: Mixed Topics
David Jonathan Edwards (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): Given that, unlike Network Rail, HS2 Ltd is not devolved to any part of the United Kingdom, will the Secretary of State explain why the statement of funding policy for the devolved institutions, which was published along with last week’s comprehensive spending review, provides for a 100% Barnett consequential from HS2 to Scotland and Northern Ireland, and one of 0% to Wales?
Low-flying Exercises (Rural Areas) — House of Commons, 2015-10-19
Topic: Mixed Topics
Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): People living in Meirionnydd have spoken to me of their concerns following what has been described as the worst single near miss in Britain. This happened on 27 August last year near Dolgellau and involved three Hawk jets and two Typhoons with a combined value of £300 million. What steps are being taken by Air Command to improve safety following the UK Airprox Board’s recommendation to review flying practices in the Machynnleth loop?
Humanitarian Crisis in the Mediterranean and Europe — House of Commons, 2015-09-09
Topic: Immigration
Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): Clearly, and unsurprisingly, the Government are already planning, because the Home Office document on the Syrian vulnerable persons resettlement scheme states: "For planning purposes, we are working on the basis that overall the UK would take around 500 people (not cases) over the next 2-3 years - with around 150 in the first year." That is where they were a few weeks ago. The Government are planning, but they need to upscale that planning.
Humanitarian Crisis in the Mediterranean and Europe — House of Commons, 2015-09-09
Topic: Immigration
Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): I congratulate my friends in the Scottish National party on initiating this important debate. I particularly congratulate the hon. Member for Moray (Angus Robertson) on the content and tone of his excellent speech. I am proud that we are collectively spending a very large amount of money supporting people in Syria and in neighbouring countries. I am glad that we are taking in refugees. That is very praiseworthy, as far as it goes There is a pithy Welsh proverb: "Nid da lle gellir gwell." My rather clunking translation is, "The good is insufficient where better can be achieved." That is the position we are in. We are spending lots of money, but we can do better. So I say plainly that admitting 20,000 people is not enough, not least given the UK’s position and responsibilities as a world leader and as a permanent member of the UN Security Council. We should be taking in more people, and on a different basis I referred in an earlier intervention to how other European Union countries have decided on the total number of people that they will take in. They have used formulae that are dependent on GDP, population, the unemployment rate and applications already processed or considered. There are ways to do this. When I asked the Secretary of State for International Development earlier how we chose the figure of 20,000, she seemed to say that that was what we could support and afford with the resources that we had. The hon. Members who have spoken this afternoon have nearly all talked about the offers of help that have come from their constituents. I am sure that we can afford to take in more than 20,000, and I would impress that point most strongly on the Minister and the Secretary of State if she reads the report of this debate.
Humanitarian Crisis in the Mediterranean and Europe — House of Commons, 2015-09-09
Topic: Immigration
Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): The hon. Lady makes a very good point. Unsurprisingly, yet again, the third sector is quicker off the mark than the Government or even local government. Third sector and voluntary organisations in my constituency are already preparing. I am looking forward to the opportunity of speaking in a rally in Carnarvon on Saturday, organised by local voluntary organisations concerned with Calais and the refugee crisis that we are discussing this afternoon We will grant entry to 20,000 people under the vulnerable persons relocation scheme, which, I understand, has already relocated 216 people. Again, I referred to this earlier in an intervention. I have three questions for the Minister. I refer to a Home Office document—the Syrian VPR scheme document—which says in respect of numbers and types of cases: "We expect that the caseload will include families (with both parents), women and children at risk cases (i.e. single parent families—female headed) and medical cases." Will the same sort of criteria be applied to the 20,000? I am thinking particularly of the phrase "with both parents". Are we expecting the 20,000 to include both men and women? The document says: "We do not expect unaccompanied children to form part of the initial caseload" That was how things stood when the document was released earlier this year. Will we now take unaccompanied children? I expect that we will. The document then says: "and if they do, these will be brought across under separate arrangements" What are those separate arrangements? Are those arrangements superseded by the decision that the Government have now taken on the 20,000?
Humanitarian Crisis in the Mediterranean and Europe — House of Commons, 2015-09-09
Topic: Immigration
Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): I thank the Minister for that intervention and look forward to his response to my other questions about the VPR scheme. On Monday I asked the Prime Minister a question about that scheme, and said that at the request of many organisations and my constituents I had written to the Immigration Minister in July about the matter. In his reply the Minister referred to the VPR scheme, stating clearly that it "was designed to focus on need rather than meeting a quota." I think that need is a good and humane yardstick. The need in the current circumstances is undoubtedly very large; indeed it is perhaps enormous. Applying need as a principle for action allows for a timely and measured response and for the use of discretion. However, the Prime Minister has announced that we will take 20,000 refugees. I am sure that those people will be in great need, but 20,000 seems to be a fixed number. On Monday I asked him what he will say to the 20,001st person who applies and who has a provable and legitimate need.
Immigration Bill — House of Commons, 2015-12-01
Topic: Immigration
Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): The Minister has talked about making regulations to extend provisions to Wales and about skills requirements. Does he agree that the Bill should recognise, in dealing with asylum claims, the distinct skills and immigration requirements of Wales, and enable the Welsh Government to provide input into Home Office immigration policy?
Government Digital Service (Welsh Language) — House of Commons, 2015-12-09
Topic: Mixed Topics
Questions: What steps the Government Digital Service is taking to ensure that Government Departments treat the Welsh and English languages equally on their websites when providing services in Wales.
Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): Diolch yn fawr iawn am y rhagymadrodd—roedd o’n arbennig o dda ac yn gynsail pwysig i’r Ty yma I thank the Minister very much for his introduction in Welsh. However, considering that not a single gov.uk departmental website states on its homepage that services are available in Welsh, people do not know that they can use Welsh. When will the digital service stop preventing Government Departments from fulfilling their legal duty to Welsh speakers?
Cities and Local Government Devolution [Lords] Bill — House of Commons, 2015-10-21
Topic: Mixed Topics
David Jonathan Edwards (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for tempting me to intervene on him. Does he share my disappointment with the draft Wales Bill, which was published with much fanfare yesterday, but which pales into insignificance when compared with the powers made available to Scotland? The ad hoc nature of devolution across the UK is inherently unstable. Of course, my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow Central (Alison Thewliss) and I want to go further than the Scottish settlement, but surely that is the benchmark we should be working towards.
BBC Charter Review — House of Commons, 2015-07-16
Topic: Mixed Topics
David Jonathan Edwards (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): Of major concern in Wales is the future of S4C, which has made real-terms cuts of 36% since 2010. Today the Secretary of State reiterated his view that the channel needed to make further savings. Does he not recognise that further reductions could fundamentally challenge the future of S4C and the independent production sector in Wales?
EU Single Market: Jobs — House of Commons, 2017-01-25
Topic: Mixed Topics
Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): I am not seeking a running commentary or any detailed negotiating information, but a special deal was cut for the car industry in the north-east. Did the Secretary of State seek a similar deal for the car industry in Wales?
EU Single Market: Jobs — House of Commons, 2017-01-25
Topic: Mixed Topics
Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): Up to 200,000 jobs in Wales depend on our membership of the European Union, the single market and the customs union. I am not going to go through every sector, but will the Secretary of State seek sectoral deals for important parts of the Welsh economy as we leave the European Union?
Yemen — House of Commons, 2017-01-26
Topic: Mixed Topics
Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): The Secretary of State has confirmed in a letter to my hon. Friend the Member for Arfon (Hywel Williams), that the US has been feeding arms to the Saudi coalition, fuelling the desperate humanitarian crisis in Yemen. What will Ministers do to persuade their new American counterparts to stop supplying these deadly cluster bombs in future?
Policing and Crime Bill — House of Commons, 2017-01-10
Topic: Civil Rights
Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): Does the hon. Lady agree that if the 2012 European directive on victims’ rights were put on a statutory footing in England and Wales, we would be following the lead of that which happens in Scotland already?
Wales Bill — House of Commons, 2017-01-24
Topic: Mixed Topics
Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): The Minister explained earlier that competition is a reserved matter. In this case, that prompts the question, what does such a dogma have to do with the reserved powers model for Wales, in relation to this most emotive of all subjects? My party and many people in Wales feel cheated. When the Minister played the card of water devolution, we were led to believe that this would be a real game changer, but I am afraid it is no more than smoke and mirrors We considered pushing Lords amendment 30 to a vote, but we will spare the Chamber such an exercise, given that we might only manage to tweak the wording of something we have already opposed. I want the record to reflect, however, that my hon. Friends and I will not be taken in by empty words dressed up as substance from the Government. This remains a cynical political sleight of hand—endeavouring to gain capital from an historical event of deep emotional significance in Wales.
Green Investment Bank — House of Commons, 2017-01-11
Topic: Mixed Topics
Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): The GIB has made substantial investments in Wales, most recently at Parc Adfer on Deeside in partnership with five local authorities. That model works pretty well. What guarantees can the Minister give that the new owners will continue to invest in that sort of way, and invest in the regions and nations of the UK rather than abroad, or possibly even in the golden south-east?
Regional Infrastructure Development — House of Commons, 2017-02-28
Topic: Housing
Questions: Does the Chancellor agree that alongside large-scale investment in infrastructure, such as the Thameslink upgrade, relatively small amounts of money on local roads and station facilities can rapidly improve journey times and therefore boost productivity?; In order to support infrastructure investment effectively, we will need to upskill our workforce to deliver the projects we need, especially hi-tech projects. Does the Chancellor of the Exchequer agree that we need investment in the post-16 arena quite quickly to ensure we fill that skills pipeline?
David Jonathan Edwards (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): The Swansea Bay city region deal has the potential to boost infrastructure development in the west of my country. The board’s proposals, which have been presented to the Treasury, have the support of the relevant local authorities and universities and of the Welsh Government. When can we expect the Treasury’s response to them?
European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill — House of Commons, 2017-02-06
Topic: Other
David Jonathan Edwards (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): I thank the hon. Gentleman for his intervention, and for his new clause, which we would have been delighted to support. That is exactly the point that I shall be making during my contribution on new clause 158.
European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill — House of Commons, 2017-02-06
Topic: Mixed Topics
David Jonathan Edwards (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): I fully agree with the hon. Gentleman. The amendments tabled by the SNP, Plaid Cymru and Labour endeavour to achieve that, and it is a source of great regret tonight that they have been taken so badly by Government Members I do not usually make a habit of quoting the leader of the Conservatives in Wales, but in this instance he has made another fitting statement, and I will hold his party to account on it. He said in an LBC interview last month: "No, this won’t be the last Wales Bill…. Brexit will require devolution changes to realign those responsibilities." There we have it. A devolution settlement meant to last a generation, and which received Royal Assent only last week, is already redundant I finish by reiterating that on 23 June nobody voted to lose their job or to become poorer. My colleagues and I will be doing everything possible to avoid that and to ensure that the interests of the people of Wales are protected.
Welsh Affairs — House of Commons, 2017-03-02
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): On business rates, will the hon. Gentleman take this opportunity to ask what is being done about the Valuation Office Agency, which is responsible for the means by which the revaluations are done? It is, of course, a Westminster responsibility.
Violence in Rakhine State — House of Commons, 2017-09-05
Topic: Mixed Topics
Ben Morgan Lake (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): Over the past five years, the UK Government have allocated over half a million pounds towards the provision of educational training to the Burmese security forces, which, among other things, aims to promote awareness of international humanitarian law, ethics and leadership. What assessment has the Minister made of the efficacy of such training, and, if it has been found wanting, will the Government divert such military aid towards humanitarian efforts?
Children and Social Work Bill [Lords] — House of Commons, 2017-03-07
Topic: Immigration
Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): Would the Minister accept that many local authorities in Wales are anxious to play their part in helping refugees, and indeed have been doing so for a number of years? They include Plaid Cymru-led Ceredigion. It is important that the Government are aware of the capacity that exists outside the usually recognised areas.
Election of Speaker — House of Commons, 2017-06-13
Topic: Mixed Topics
Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): May I begin by associating myself and my party with the Prime Minister’s remarks and the remarks of others about the outrages in Manchester and in London? These sorts of horrible acts have absolutely no place in our democracy, and we all join together to condemn them You will forgive me, Mr Speaker-Elect, if I begin by welcoming my new hon. Friend the Member for Ceredigion (Ben Lake). The good people of Ceredigion will be represented by a Plaid Cymru Member once again, and we look forward to his contributions. On behalf of my hon. Friends, I would of course like to congratulate both you, Mr Speaker-Elect, and the Father of the House. I am sure that right hon. and hon. Members on both sides of the House look forward to the incisive, knowledgeable and supremely confident interventions of the right hon. and learned Member for Rushcliffe (Mr Clarke) during what is likely to be one of the most lively and important Parliaments of recent years—not least because the main matter before us, the UK’s place in Europe, has been one of his central political concerns for so long I congratulate you, Mr Speaker-Elect, and hope that you will continue in your positive attitudes towards the working of this place, the modernisation of that working and the rights of Back Benchers, and in the very fair treatment that you have always provided to the smaller parties.
Points of Order — House of Commons, 2017-02-27
Topic: Immigration
Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): On a point of order, Mr Speaker. My constituent Shiromini Satkunarajah is due to be expelled from the UK tomorrow and sent to Sri Lanka, from where she and her family, who are Tamils, fled here from the war when she was just 12 years old. In three months, Shiromini could complete here degree in electrical engineering at Bangor University and would be expected to get a first. Her head of school describes her as "exceptionally able and diligent". There is a worldwide shortage of graduates in her subject. Despite following the immigration regulations meticulously, she was called to Caernarfon police station last week, arrested, detained in a cell for three days and then transferred to Yarl’s Wood. I have contacted the Immigration Minister repeatedly to ask him to exercise discretion in her case, which has widespread support among the public—30,000 people signed a petition this weekend alone—and from Members of the House, but so far he has not replied. She is due to leave tomorrow. What advice can you give me, Mr Speaker, so that I, as a Back Bencher, can hold the Government to account on this scandalous case, and do so in good time?
Equality and Human Rights Commission — House of Commons, 2017-03-01
Topic: Civil Rights
Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): Does the hon. Gentleman share my concern that, with 25% cuts, there is a risk that human rights legislation will, in all honesty, exist only on paper and that, in fact, human rights will effectively be hollowed out? Will he be pressing the Government to give evidence on that?
Export Licensing: High Court Judgment — House of Commons, 2017-07-10
Topic: Mixed Topics
David Jonathan Edwards (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): The Secretary of State will be aware of reports by the BBC and the Danish newspaper Dagbladet Information in relation to the sale of surveillance and decryption technology to Saudi Arabia by British companies via their Danish subsidiaries. This technology has been used to crush internal dissent, and it arguably contravenes Criterion 5 restrictions due to the potential impact on UK security. Will the British Government review the legislation and oversight procedures governing sales of surveillance and decryption technology?
Contaminated Blood — House of Commons, 2017-07-11
Topic: Mixed Topics
Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): I am grateful to the hon. Lady for giving way. I pay tribute to her on behalf of my constituent Jane Jones, whose family have had to deal with great privation for many years because of the scandal. In a written answer to the Welsh Assembly on 27 March there was confirmation that the payments continue to be made on an ex gratia basis, but with no liability being accepted. The answer was in Welsh, but it confirms that the payment of £10,000 to a partner or widow continues on an ex gratia basis.
Contaminated Blood — House of Commons, 2017-07-11
Topic: Mixed Topics
Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): I am reluctant to interrupt the hon. Lady’s remarks, but may I point out that the support also extends to Wales, not just to England? As far as I understand it, there is also a £10,000 payment for spouses in Wales. Is it the hon. Lady’s understanding that the inquiry’s terms of reference will include the actions of the Governments in Wales, Scotland and possibly Northern Ireland, as well as what has happened in England? I had intended to ask the Minister that question, but could not make an intervention.
Immigration Rules: Agriculture — House of Commons, 2017-07-03
Topic: Immigration
Questions: What discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the effect of immigration rules on the seasonal agricultural workforce.
David Jonathan Edwards (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): As the Minister knows, agriculture is devolved and stringent immigration rules could have a particular impact on the Welsh food production sector. Does he agree that, if there is to be, regrettably, a Brexit outside the single market, there would need to be a geographical visa system to protect key sectors of the Welsh economy?
London Attack — House of Commons, 2017-03-23
Topic: Civil Rights
Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): I speak for my party, Plaid Cymru. I commend the Prime Minister for her words today. All of us being here today is not a show of defiance. It is a show of respect for the dead and the injured, respect for democracy and respect for our duty to our constituents. One man cannot shut down a city and lock down democracy. Does the Prime Minister agree that we must not react to such a warped ideology with unworthy responses?
“Securing Wales’ Future” — House of Commons, 2017-03-08
Topic: Immigration
Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): Today, on International Women’s Day, my constituent Shiromini Satkunarajah will be studying for her final exams in electrical engineering. She is likely to get a first in her field, in which there is a world shortage of qualified people, women in particular. Had this Government had their way, she would have been deported last week. How would her deportation have steadied the Chancellor’s dodgy post-Brexit spreadsheet?