argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
Great Western Railway Routes — House of Commons, 2016-02-08
Topic: Transportation
Scott Leslie Mann (Conservative, Centre-right): Thank you—likewise Millions of people from across the world saw the scenes of the railway hanging into the sea at Dawlish. At that time, we were reliant on the one arterial road that comes into Devon and Cornwall, and that was difficult. We saw the orange army out working—they did a huge job for us, and I am very grateful—but I feel that we should explore other opportunities and other branch lines that might well help us out. An Okehampton link on the line from Exeter to Plymouth would be viable, and it would bring benefits to tourism not just in North Cornwall but in the area represented by my hon. Friend the Member for North Devon (Peter Heaton-Jones) and in other parts of the region. I am sure that Great Western Railway would welcome the opportunity to serve more stations and facilitate the return of trains to North Devon. That would help thousands of people right across North Cornwall and North Devon, many of whom have to travel huge distances to access trains I might be the only speaker in the Chamber this evening who does not have a branch line running through their constituency, and I would very much like one, so I am going to make another case—for a Bodmin central branch line. There are only two standard-gauge railway stations in North Cornwall, both of which are served by the Bodmin and Wenford steam railway, which runs to Boscarne and is fantastic. However, Bodmin Parkway is located about five miles outside the town centre, which means that it is not easily accessible if there are roadworks or problems on the roads. I would therefore like a proper dedicated mainline link to be implemented between Bodmin Parkway and Bodmin General. The steam trains do a great job in the summer, but we need a 365-day-a-year link. I would welcome Great Western Railway considering putting in a link to connect Bodmin town up to Bodmin Parkway.
Great Western Railway Routes — House of Commons, 2016-02-08
Topic: Transportation
Kevin John Foster (Conservative, Centre-right): Does my hon. Friend agree that what he is saying about where train services could be developed shows the latent demand in the south-west region, particularly on the peninsula, for the creation of additional services not just on the Great Western Railway route but through the further extension to Okehampton of the old Southern route that still exists between Exeter and Waterloo?
Great Western Railway Routes — House of Commons, 2016-02-08
Topic: Transportation
Scott Leslie Mann (Conservative, Centre-right): I do agree. The more branch services we get, the better. Our public transport system in Cornwall and Devon is not great, and we struggle to provide sufficient bus services. As my hon. Friend the Member for Plymouth, Moor View said, if we make these investments, that will drive jobs and drive the economy in our areas I thank the Minister for the investment that has already gone into the south-west, including in the points systems in Penzance, the new bimodal Hitachi trains, which will be ready for use by 2018—that is a fantastic investment and we are grateful for it—and the sleeper trains. I talked earlier about being rocked to sleep on the sleeper trains, which are a fantastic service. A gentle relaxation and a rocking to sleep is a lovely feeling, and it takes six and a half hours to get from Paddington to Bodmin Parkway, so I look forward to those sleeper trains coming online The bimodal trains will reach Cornwall faster, so we could do with them. It is also imperative that we look at electrification and line speed improvements. I know that is not going to happen overnight, but I would like the Minister to consider it. The sleeper train is an integral part of south-west connectivity. With the region being three to six hours away from London, night sleeping is important because it means you can have a restful night’s sleep and then get to work first thing on a Friday morning I thank the hon. Members for Ogmore (Huw Irranca-Davies) and for Slough (Fiona Mactaggart), who is no longer in her place, for raising the Heathrow proposals. For me, Heathrow is not a London issue; it is a countrywide issue. Linking up areas such as the south-west means faster journey times to Heathrow and it connects us to onward travel. I am grateful to the hon. Members for pointing that out. In 20 years’ time, we could be living in a region that has direct flights from Newquay to Heathrow, and direct trains from the region to Heathrow. People from Cornwall could then fly to Heathrow in an hour, and people in east Cornwall and Devon could hop on an electric GWR service and alight at Heathrow in under three hours.
Great Western Railway Routes — House of Commons, 2016-02-08
Topic: Transportation
Scott Leslie Mann (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend is absolutely right. Train connections have raised the wage base in other areas, and over the years the south-west has suffered from a low wage, high house price economy. Many of our young people struggle to get houses and to get on in life. If those rail services come online, businesses will invest in the south-west, which will give our young people every opportunity, which is great.
Great Western Railway Routes — House of Commons, 2016-02-08
Topic: Transportation
Scott Leslie Mann (Conservative, Centre-right): I will, of course, have a look at those reports. The hon. Gentleman spoke eloquently about his valleys and the branch lines within his valleys, so I look forward to reading those reports In conclusion, the Great Western railway is a valuable asset to the south-west and it could be improved. Without it, the region would crumble, which is why we must make it better, faster and more resilient. Today, many of my colleagues will have been affected by the severe weather in the south-west. In fact, we have heard that four fallen trees have affected the railway service in Bodmin and around the south-west. It is quite fitting that those trains have been delayed on the same day as this debate. I am confident that the GWR franchise will continue to serve our region well, linking it to the capital, and that the Peninsula Rail Task Force and the south-west MPs will all work together for our corner of Britain and make it a better place to live, work and play.
Great Western Railway Routes — House of Commons, 2016-02-08
Topic: Transportation
Claire Louise Perry (Conservative, Centre-right): I know Bristol much better than Wales. The hon. Member for Ogmore (Huw Irranca-Davies) made an important point about electrification. I want to tell him that the commitment to electrify the line to Cardiff is absolutely baked into the new Hendy plans, and he must consider that as preliminary work towards Swansea—[Interruption.] It is difficult to get through the Severn tunnel, as he knows, but the work is going on and the gantries are in place. We have made the commitment that the electrification will continue on to Swansea the next capital period. [Interruption.] He says, "What about the new trains?" Of course the hybrid trains that we have purchased will be able to run on those tracks, so his constituents will see the journey time and capacity improvements, and those brand-new, state-of-the-art trains. I hope that he will at least be happy with that—
Great Western Railway Routes — House of Commons, 2016-02-08
Topic: Transportation
Claire Louise Perry (Conservative, Centre-right): We have not been asked to put in a penny. Great Western Railway has funded the study, as part of our negotiations with it. No Government money was ever being put into these studies. We stood by to make sure the studies happened—
Great Western Railway Routes — House of Commons, 2016-02-08
Topic: Transportation
Claire Louise Perry (Conservative, Centre-right): No, we were prepared to backstop any shortfall, but Great Western Railway agreed to fund this small part of the overall plan. We are talking about £200,000 to £300,000, as opposed to the £3.5 million Network Rail has already spent. I hope the right hon. Member for Exeter, just for once, is going to crack a smile and welcome something. Go on! Just welcome something the Government have done. No? I think we will move on The Government are committed to the region, and these studies will go ahead. This is a vital region of the country for transport investment and economic growth, and I am delighted, as both a south-west MP and the rail Minister, to confirm that those studies will go ahead.
Great Western Railway Routes — House of Commons, 2016-02-08
Topic: Transportation
Kevin John Foster (Conservative, Centre-right): This has been a fascinating couple of hours. We have managed to keep the debate on track and, as I told the Backbench Business Committee we would, to build up a head of steam behind these issues, and hon. Members will be pleased that the debate did not hit the buffers, as some suggested it might Leaving aside the puns, I think this has been a good debate. It was encouraging to hear that the studies would go ahead, as a key part of identifying exactly what needs to be done on our railway to secure it for the future. It is right that we heard the commitment that Dawlish and the Great Western main line would continue to be at the heart of the community in the peninsula. I know that the line into south Wales and Swansea is at the heart of that area and its economy, too, and I hope that people will support the motion without the need for a Division. It reinforces the importance of the network. This is not just about a transport system to get people from A to B; it is about the heart of a region that could deliver so much more with the investment that we hope will come Question put and agreed to. Resolved, That this House believes that the routes of the Great Western railway are not just a transport system, but the heart of the regions they serve; and calls on the Government to ensure that plans for further electrification and improved resilience of the Great Western railway routes are progressed urgently.
Rape and Serious Sexual Offences — House of Commons, 2016-04-14
Topic: Law and Crime
Robert James Buckland (Conservative, Centre-right): The Crown Prosecution Service continues to improve its response to cases involving rape allegations and other forms of serious sexual offending. It has taken a number of steps to improve the conviction rate, which includes increasing the number of specialist staff within its dedicated rape and serious sexual offences unit and improved specialist training for prosecutors.
Rape and Serious Sexual Offences — House of Commons, 2016-04-14
Topic: Law and Crime
Robert James Buckland (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Gentleman rightly points to the fact that the actual number of convictions continues to increase, which means justice for more and more victims. It is right that the Crown Prosecution Service brings cases to juries, and, of course, it is a matter for juries to determine whether a suspect is guilty. Increased funding for the rape and serious sexual offences units means an improved early engagement with the police so that the experience of victims becomes a better one, and we have tried and tested evidence that the experience of victims is vital if we are to make improvements.
Rape and Serious Sexual Offences — House of Commons, 2016-04-14
Topic: Law and Crime
Robert James MacGillivray Neill (Conservative, Centre-right): Part of improving the evidence of victims is surely through the increased use of live links, which we are already seeing, where victims do not physically have to come to the court building to give their evidence. The report published this week by the CPS inspectorate and Her Majesty’s inspectorate of constabulary recognises that. It says that, in some areas, the scheme is doing very well, but, in others "the courts and the CPS were not comfortable with live links even though the video technology was available." What more can be done to spread consistency in its uptake?
Rape and Serious Sexual Offences — House of Commons, 2016-04-14
Topic: Law and Crime
Robert James Buckland (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend is quite right to highlight that important report. In places such as Kent, best practice is clearly being demonstrated. With regard to national training, which is happening now, we will see more and more use of live links from victims’ homes and other safe places to avoid the terrible ordeal in many cases of victims having to come to court to give evidence in the courtroom.
Rape and Serious Sexual Offences — House of Commons, 2016-04-14
Topic: Law and Crime
Robert James Buckland (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Lady may already know that revised guidance to prosecutors and Crown Prosecution Service staff about victim and witness care in the courts is already being rolled out. There are also more staff in the court system to help and support witnesses and victims through the process. More work is being done and will be done to ensure that the objectives that she and I share are met.
Rape and Serious Sexual Offences — House of Commons, 2016-04-14
Topic: Law and Crime
Robert James Buckland (Conservative, Centre-right): I certainly welcome those statistics. Importantly, they make the point that, when it comes to people’s lives, more and more individuals are finding that their cases are being heard and that justice is being done on the perpetrators of these appalling offences.
European Arrest Warrant — House of Commons, 2016-04-14
Topic: Law and Crime
Questions: What assessment the Government have made of the potential effect on the use of the European arrest warrant as a prosecutorial tool of the UK leaving the EU.; What assessment the Government have made of the potential effect on the use of the European arrest warrant as a prosecutorial tool of the UK leaving the EU.
Jeremy Paul Wright (Conservative, Centre-right): The European arrest warrant makes it easier to extradite foreign suspects to where they are wanted for crimes and to bring suspects back to the UK to face justice for crimes committed here. It is the quickest and most economical way to do these things, and other member states would not be bound to co-operate with us in the same way if we left the EU.
European Arrest Warrant — House of Commons, 2016-04-14
Topic: International Affairs
Questions: What assessment the Government have made of the potential effect on the use of the European arrest warrant as a prosecutorial tool of the UK leaving the EU.; What assessment the Government have made of the potential effect on the use of the European arrest warrant as a prosecutorial tool of the UK leaving the EU.
Jeremy Paul Wright (Conservative, Centre-right): I have great respect for those who argue for a British exit from the European Union, but I am afraid that I believe they are wrong on this. For the reasons the hon. Gentleman has given, there is considerable advantage to Britain and to British citizens in being part of the European arrest warrant.
European Arrest Warrant — House of Commons, 2016-04-14
Topic: Law and Crime
Questions: What assessment the Government have made of the potential effect on the use of the European arrest warrant as a prosecutorial tool of the UK leaving the EU.; What assessment the Government have made of the potential effect on the use of the European arrest warrant as a prosecutorial tool of the UK leaving the EU.
Jeremy Paul Wright (Conservative, Centre-right): There is no doubt that the quickest and easiest way of deporting criminals who face prosecutions in other European nations is, as I said, to use the European arrest warrant. Of course, those who argue for exit from the European Union would have to explain what alternative measures they would put in place to achieve the same objective. I am in no doubt that, as I say, the quickest and easiest way to do that is through the European arrest warrant, and any delay in that process will have very serious consequences.
European Arrest Warrant — House of Commons, 2016-04-14
Topic: Law and Crime
Questions: What assessment the Government have made of the potential effect on the use of the European arrest warrant as a prosecutorial tool of the UK leaving the EU.; What assessment the Government have made of the potential effect on the use of the European arrest warrant as a prosecutorial tool of the UK leaving the EU.
Christopher Robert Chope (Conservative, Centre-right): Does my right hon. and learned Friend’s position take account of the European Court of Justice ruling on 5 April, which effectively drives a coach and horses through the whole of the arrest warrant procedure because it makes it clear that the European Court of Justice is in charge of whether or not a European arrest warrant can be applied for?
European Arrest Warrant — House of Commons, 2016-04-14
Topic: Law and Crime
Questions: What assessment the Government have made of the potential effect on the use of the European arrest warrant as a prosecutorial tool of the UK leaving the EU.; What assessment the Government have made of the potential effect on the use of the European arrest warrant as a prosecutorial tool of the UK leaving the EU.
Jeremy Paul Wright (Conservative, Centre-right): I do not think that it is quite as bad as my hon. Friend suggests. In fact, what the European Court of Justice said in that case is broadly consistent with what our own Extradition Act 2003 says. He will know, of course, that in respect of the countries mentioned in that judgment, we already succeed in extraditing people to them. One of them is Romania, and my hon. Friend might like to know that 268 people have been extradited to Romania since 2010.
European Arrest Warrant — House of Commons, 2016-04-14
Topic: Law and Crime
Questions: What assessment the Government have made of the potential effect on the use of the European arrest warrant as a prosecutorial tool of the UK leaving the EU.; What assessment the Government have made of the potential effect on the use of the European arrest warrant as a prosecutorial tool of the UK leaving the EU.
Philip Andrew Davies (Conservative, Centre-right): In the Witney Gazette, the Prime Minister was quoted as saying about the European arrest warrant: "Some other countries in Europe do not have our rights and safeguards. People can languish in jail for weeks without even being charged. I am not sure that the British people realise what is being done in their name. Are we really happy that with one telephone call from the Greek, Spanish or German authorities alleging that we did something wrong on holiday, we can be swept off to a continental prison? Rights and safeguards that we have enjoyed for centuries are being stripped away." Does the Attorney General agree with the Prime Minister?
European Arrest Warrant — House of Commons, 2016-04-14
Topic: Law and Crime
Questions: What assessment the Government have made of the potential effect on the use of the European arrest warrant as a prosecutorial tool of the UK leaving the EU.; What assessment the Government have made of the potential effect on the use of the European arrest warrant as a prosecutorial tool of the UK leaving the EU.
Jeremy Paul Wright (Conservative, Centre-right): I do not know when my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister wrote that. As my hon. Friend may recall, the Prime Minister and other members of the Government successfully negotiated changes to the European arrest warrant precisely to deal with the problems that my hon. Friend has just outlined. Now, UK citizens cannot be extradited unless the case is trial ready, and not unless the conduct in question would be a crime here and not unless it is proportionate to do so.
CPS: International Co-operation — House of Commons, 2016-04-14
Topic: Law and Crime
Questions: What steps the CPS is taking to work more efficiently with international partners to reduce the threat of serious crime in the UK and abroad.
Robert James Buckland (Conservative, Centre-right): CPS prosecutors work closely with law enforcement agencies to give investigative advice and to prosecute serious crime. They draw upon international co-operation agreements wherever necessary to secure evidence and to agree how and where cases that cover various jurisdictions should be pursued.
CPS: International Co-operation — House of Commons, 2016-04-14
Topic: Law and Crime
Questions: What steps the CPS is taking to work more efficiently with international partners to reduce the threat of serious crime in the UK and abroad.
Robert James Buckland (Conservative, Centre-right): I assure my hon. Friend that cases involving IRA suspects will be considered in just the same way as any other case. The special crime and counter-terrorism division of the CPS deals with cases of alleged terrorism. If a suspect is out of the jurisdiction, extradition will be considered if the prosecution evidential co-test is met.
CPS: International Co-operation — House of Commons, 2016-04-14
Topic: International Affairs
Questions: What steps the CPS is taking to work more efficiently with international partners to reduce the threat of serious crime in the UK and abroad.
Robert James Buckland (Conservative, Centre-right): I entirely agree with the hon. Gentleman. I mentioned multi-jurisdictional cases. Sometimes these perpetrators will cover more than one EU country and it is vital to have the mechanisms not just of co-operation, but of enforcement, which our membership of the EU guarantees. That is why I am a very strong supporter of remaining within the European Union.
EU Withdrawal: Changes to UK Legal Framework — House of Commons, 2016-04-14
Topic: International Affairs
Jeremy Paul Wright (Conservative, Centre-right): Under article 50 of the treaty on the European Union, if the United Kingdom were to decide to leave the EU, it would need to negotiate and conclude an agreement with the remaining member states, setting out the arrangements for withdrawal. The EU treaties would continue to apply to the UK until the article 50 agreement entered into force or for two years if no agreement were reached and no extension to that period were granted. Any further changes to the UK’s legal obligations would of course depend on the nature of any further international agreements entered into.
EU Withdrawal: Changes to UK Legal Framework — House of Commons, 2016-04-14
Topic: International Affairs
Jeremy Paul Wright (Conservative, Centre-right): First, I should say that I have boundless faith in the ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit of our legal professions, and I am sure that they would find a way through. However, the hon. Lady is right to say that there would be considerable uncertainty after any departure from the European Union, at least in part because there is a regulatory structure in this country that substantially depends on European regulation. We would have to decide how much of that to keep and how much we wished to change. She might also know that Professor Derek Wyatt, one of the leading experts on European law, recently gave evidence to the House of Lords European Union Committee. He said that "it will take years for Government and Parliament to examine the corpus of EU law and decide what to jettison and what to keep" That is one of the reasons the Government believe that we are better off remaining within the EU.
EU Withdrawal: Changes to UK Legal Framework — House of Commons, 2016-04-14
Topic: International Affairs
Philip Thomas Hollobone (Conservative, Centre-right): Given my right hon. and learned Friend’s immense legal brain and huge legal capabilities, will he confirm to the House that he would want to remain as Attorney General should this country vote to leave the European Union so that he personally would be best placed to negotiate a super-duper British exit agreement in double-quick time?
EU Withdrawal: Changes to UK Legal Framework — House of Commons, 2016-04-14
Topic: International Affairs
Jeremy Paul Wright (Conservative, Centre-right): I have nowhere near my hon. Friend’s faith in my abilities, but I do think that it remains in Britain’s best interests to stay within the European Union. However, if the British people decide that we should leave, the British Government will continue to do their best for the British public.