argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
UK Steel Industry — House of Commons, 2016-02-29
Topic: Energy
Paul Phillip Flynn (Labour, Centre-left): The gulf in understanding between those on the two sides of the House is rarely more obvious than when we talk of heavy industry. It is clear that the Government, with all the good will they may have towards the industry, are in alien territory. The best they have been able to produce today is not a man or a woman of steel, but someone who lived within sight of a steelworks. I speak with a little authority on this, because I started working in the steel industry in 1955 and was still there 30 years later There is a feeling of grief about the terrible destruction of the steel industry. People have talked about the scars on the countryside. It is painful to see areas that were once breathing fire and steam—where there was life, prosperity and energy—now wastelands of rubble and brambles. The real suffering is felt by those who worked there. They suddenly find that their often unique skills, the scrap of dignity around which they built their self-regard and their life, have been stripped away. They live the final years of their lives lacking that sense of self-respect, their ability to have the prosperity they expected torn away. I am very proud, with my hon. Friend the Member for Newport East (Jessica Morden), to represent Newport, which relied on the steel industry for 150 years. It has suffered terrible losses I want to make a point about different attitudes. It is extraordinary how the Government have been seduced by Chinese communists, and how they are allowing the future of our industry to be colonised by the Chinese. It is unbelievable. We look back with amazement to see what we have done. We have mortgaged the future of our nuclear industry in perpetuity to a Chinese company. So that we can have the Hinkley sprat, we have given them the mackerel of Bradwell and the other power stations of the future. Something has happened with Hinkley Point and it is about time the House woke up to it. A former Secretary of State for Energy has written a book. He said on the "Today" programme this morning that Hinkley Point is a dinosaur. In the past fortnight, articles in the Financial Times and The Economist have said that it does not make sense to proceed. It is a basket case. It is a disaster in the making. All the sensible investors, including Centrica, which invested £200 million, have gone, and all that is left is this cheap, Chinese money and EDF Where is EDF? EDF had a debt of £37 billion, and if it were not a nationalised company, it would be bankrupt. It is pulling away because the technology planned for Hinkley Point is a dinosaur—it has never worked anywhere. The EPR reactor in Finland should have been producing electricity seven years ago, but it is not, and there is no sign of it doing anything. It is the same with the Flammanville EPR. It has a major fault; there is a split in the steel in the vessel. The whole thing might never happen. These huge sums are at stake, yet the Government go blindly on in their belief in nuclear power. There is another side to this, too.
UK Steel Industry — House of Commons, 2016-02-29
Topic: Energy
Paul Phillip Flynn (Labour, Centre-left): I would rather not give way; too many people want to speak One man has a belief in a different kind of energy. Mr Sanjiv Gupta recently rescued hundreds of jobs in the constituency of my hon. Friend the Member for Newport East. He believes in tidal energy. His company is without any debts and is free to spend its money anywhere. It has already saved jobs and it plans to create at least 1,000 new jobs, and the investment is based on tidal energy, not on the myths of Hinkley Point that will never happen, but on the tide, which flows up and down, washing the walls of Hinkley Point and our constituencies. It is the second highest rise and fall of tide in the world, with massive untapped power. It is clean, British and the source of power is freely available to us. It is entirely predictable and it is virtually eternal: it will go on for all of human time. The power is vast. If it is combined with pump storage schemes, when the tide is producing energy that is not required, it can be used to pump water up to the valleys, so it can become entirely demand responsive There are two views on the issue. We know that the problem with the steel industry now and in the future is that it needs prodigious quantities of energy, and until we get entrepreneurs with imagination who believe in the practicalities of life, there will be little chance of progress Let me make one final point. I was somewhat provoked to make it when I heard that the farmer Andrew R. T. Davies, who is the Opposition spokesman in the Welsh Assembly, has announced that he wants us to come out of Europe. The only advantage I can see of coming out of Europe is that it would allow us to look at the subsidies that all the farmers get, averaging £220,000 per year per farmer in Wales. If we come out of Europe, the question must be asked how we could possibly go on investing 30% to 40% of the total budget of the European Union in an industry that produces less than 2% of our gross national product—an industry that is in serious trouble, and is not competitive. Yet what is the attitude of the Government? They want to save it, and they will put through any kind of subsidy. It will be unlimited, because this is a party in which farmers are grossly over-represented and from which steelworkers are entirely absent.
UK Steel Industry — House of Commons, 2016-02-29
Topic: Foreign Trade
Tom Blenkinsop (Labour, Centre-left): In 2004, the Bush Administration imposed tariffs of more than 20% on European steel going into the US market. That level was eroded through negotiation. At this moment, China imposes tariffs on our products—British and European—that are already going into its market. So that tit-for-tat has already started. China already imposes huge tariffs on EU products going into its market. Why we are not protecting our own market and the European market—which, I might add, is the largest in the world—is beyond comprehension. I repeat that this is not about protectionism. It is about levelling the playing field to give British steel a domestic safe place to trade, within the European Union and externally. At this time, however, China is not abiding by World Trade Organisation rules, which must surely affect its future market economy status, which will be debated by the European Union This brings me to the point about market economy status. Currency manipulation by China has also acted as a subsidy to its exports to EU member states and other countries, while China reciprocates by taxing EU exports. This, along with direct export subsidies, support policies and the rapid growth of planned investments in leading and pillar industries in China’s five-year development plans, has led to sustained, deliberate overproduction and substantial excess capacity throughout Chinese manufacturing Even without MES, China has dramatically increased its exports to Europe by a remarkable 11.1% annual rate over the past 15 years—they rose from €74.6 billion-worth to €359.6 billion-worth in 2015. Put simply, the Government support Chinese MES, whether Britain is within the EU or outside it. I would argue that we may negotiate internally or externally, but we are in a far more difficult position as a population of 70 million than as the largest economic bloc in the world. The forecasts suggest that whether this is done inside or outside the EU, Chinese imports will rocket by between 25% to 50% in the next three to five years if MES is granted. That is devastating for not only steel, but every other industrial manufacturing sector. I come from the Teesside area and we do not just make steel there. We must not write off steel in our area, because we still have the beam mill in Redcar, Skinningrove in my constituency—
UK Steel Industry — House of Commons, 2016-02-29
Topic: Energy
Tom Blenkinsop (Labour, Centre-left): We have Hartlepool tube mill. We have a fantastic story to tell and we want further investment there. By granting MES, we are putting at risk not only steel, but our vast chemical processing industry in the Tees area. Energy-intensives, be they ceramics, chemicals or steel, are at real risk. We cannot afford to be duplicitous on any potential contract, be it a defence, construction or export one, but that requires a Government to make policy that defends their own British steel industry.
UK Steel Industry — House of Commons, 2016-02-29
Topic: Macroeconomics
Christina Elizabeth Rees (Labour, Centre-left): Steel and the steel industry are vital to Wales, particularly to south Wales and my constituency of Neath. The Tata steel plant in Port Talbot is in the neighbouring constituency of my hon. Friend the Member for Aberavon (Stephen Kinnock) and the Trostre plant is roughly half an hour away in the constituency of my hon. Friend the Member for Llanelli (Nia Griffith). Both Aberavon and Llanelli are places where hundreds of my constituents from Neath work every day The fact that, this year, 1,050 jobs have been lost in the UK steel industry, 750 of which are in Port Talbot, shows the Government’s complete lack of action in saving the UK steel industry. Time and again, the Government have been dragged to the House by the Opposition to answer urgent questions on their plans to save the steel industry, but all they have offered are warm words, which are of no help to an industry that is in desperate need of action Many options are available to the Government, including a large amount of readily available EU funding to shore up the industry. The Government could also take action against the large amount of Chinese steel being dumped on to UK markets.
UK Steel Industry — House of Commons, 2016-02-29
Topic: Macroeconomics
James McMahon (Labour, Centre-left): This has been a fascinating debate. Members might ask why an MP from Oldham is present in a debate about steel—we do not have a steel industry to speak of—but I have seen the demise of manufacturing in my community. When we talk about numbers in this place, we have to relate them back to the families affected. Communities are destroyed when industry disappears. We have heard time and again about the interventions that could be made, and my hon. Friend has made a fantastic point about them, but does he have any faith in this Government to deliver on them?
UK Steel Industry — House of Commons, 2016-02-29
Topic: Foreign Trade
Nicholas Dakin (Labour, Centre-left): It is the Government’s duty to deliver, and we have to work with them to make that happen. As my hon. Friend the Member for Wallasey (Ms Eagle) said right at the beginning of the debate, they have been dragged kicking and screaming towards delivery. We need them to deliver faster, because our communities, the steelworkers and their families do not have the time to wait. That is why the Government need to step up to the steel plate and deliver before it is too late The fourth issue is dumping by communist Chinese. If I had said 20 years ago that a Government would be in hock to communist China in undermining our manufacturing base, people would have said, "That’s what you’d expect from the Labour party," but it is a Conservative Government who are doing it, which is remarkable—they are in hock to communist China. We need to take action on the lesser duty rule. The Secretary of State said that the Government can take action in other ways, but we need more details of how they will take action against Chinese dumping, to make sure that there is a fair and level playing field. Nobody wants benefits; all we are asking for, on behalf of our industries, is a fair playing field, and that is what acting on the lesser duty rule will achieve Many Members have spoken at great length about market economy status. During Foreign Office questions last week, I was pleased to hear the Foreign Secretary repeat the commitment that market economy status would be determined and seen through the prism of steel. I would be grateful if the Minister could confirm that unless China delivers on steel in the way that it should, it will not get market economy status In conclusion, my constituents are very keen on this debate and want the Government to do even more to deliver so that my constituents and my community can have good jobs and a good future.
UK Steel Industry — House of Commons, 2016-02-29
Topic: Foreign Trade
Stephen John Doughty (Labour, Centre-left): As always, it is a privilege to speak about an issue that is so important, not only for my constituents but for the future of the whole UK steel industry and manufacturing industry, as my hon. Friend the Member for Oldham West and Royton (Jim McMahon) has said. I pay tribute to the Celsa workforce in my constituency; to those who work for Tata and the rest of the steel industry in south Wales; to the Welsh Labour Government, who are doing so much for the steel industry in Wales; and to trade unions such as Community, whose union reps are standing up and working with the management to try to find solutions and get through these incredibly challenging times for the industry I do not want to repeat many of the arguments that have been made. This is the umpteenth debate we have had on this issue, and the Minister is well aware of the wider circumstances and challenges facing the industry, so I just want to zero in on some specific concerns The Secretary of State was slightly disingenuous when he tried to present us as protectionists who want to foment trade wars in the world. That is not what we want. I reiterate that this is about levelling the playing field so that we relieve the pressure on the industry that is the result of dumping and unfair production I was pleased to hear what the Secretary of State said about rebar. If he moves in that direction, it will be welcome, but the industry will want to know at what level he really thinks the tariffs should be set and when that will happen. We can also discuss why that did not happen earlier, and why he did not fight earlier for those changes in Europe. The Secretary of State for Wales and I met many months ago and discussed those issues, and we were well aware of the concerns. If the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills is moving in that direction, will he tell us when will it happen and at what level the tariffs will be set? He made a convoluted argument about the lesser duty rule, but that will not wash with the industry. The industry wants to know what action the Government will take and when.
UK Steel Industry — House of Commons, 2016-02-29
Topic: Foreign Trade
Patrick Bosco McFadden (Labour, Centre-left): Does my hon. Friend agree that if a decision is made to impose tariffs as an anti-dumping measure, the whole point is that they have to be at a level that makes a significant difference to the price? Otherwise, the danger is that it becomes a token gesture.
UK Steel Industry — House of Commons, 2016-02-29
Topic: Macroeconomics
James McMahon (Labour, Centre-left): Does my hon. Friend share my concern that the Chancellor seems to spend a disproportionate amount of time speaking to the Chinese about investment to fund the northern powerhouse investment pitch book—of course, to appeal to parts of the UK that other potential Conservative leadership candidates cannot possibly reach—than supporting our own industry? Will she join me in warning Conservative Members that if our industry dies, Britain dies too?
UK Steel Industry — House of Commons, 2016-02-29
Topic: Foreign Trade
Anna Catherine Turley (Labour, Centre-left): My hon. Friend makes an extremely important point. There is no greater testament to the lack of progress of the northern powerhouse so far than the devastating loss of steelmaking on Teesside. If the northern powerhouse means anything at all, it means jobs, industry and growth on Teesside, and on that count the Government have failed With the materials catapult for Teesside—the existing research and development hub, which is the materials processing industry in my constituency—the Government have the perfect opportunity to put right some of their wrongs and to help some kind of steel phoenix to rise from the ashes in Teesside. Teesside can build on its industrial strength and once more play a vital role in driving the UK’s industrial and high-tech economy of the future But we need a Government that will support us, a Government that will commit to an industrial strategy and a Government that, dare I say it, will invest. What we do not need are a Government that fail to play their role on the global stage, but that is what we have seen. The Chancellor has been out in China, and I can only imagine how grateful it is to him that his Government have actively blocked our European colleagues’ efforts to increase tariffs on Chinese steel in the EU by scrapping the lesser duty rule. I can only imagine how grateful it is to him that his Government are such cheerleaders for China in seeking market economy status, which would give the green light to Chinese steel flooding in. President Obama has pledged aggressive action through the trade Bill in Congress, and the US recently imposed duties of 236% on a particular grade of Chinese steel. I, for one, am fed up with the Government and Government Members pretending that membership of the EU is the reason they cannot act. Instead, I want them to work with our European partners to impose tariffs and tackle dumping. I am frankly embarrassed that it is the UK that is leading a small group of nations in opposing higher tariffs on China because of the Tories’ ideological obsession with a market economy that sees jobs, communities and entire industries as a price worth paying for their kind of laissez-faire, unfettered global market.
Commonwealth War Graves Commission: Pension Fund — House of Commons, 2016-02-29
Topic: Labor
Kevan David Jones (Labour, Centre-left): I do not want to get into a dialogue about this, but I have to say that that is not true. The final scheme was changed, including to help lower-paid staff over the next three years, so changes have been made. I also have to say that I do not recognise the hon. Gentleman’s description of the negotiations, because the trade unions did meet the vice-chair and the secretary-general.
Freedom of Information Act — House of Commons, 2016-01-27
Topic: Government Operations
Louise Margaret Haigh (Labour, Centre-left): It is confusing to hear the Minister claim to be such a fan of transparency, given that the Cabinet Office has set up a commission designed to weaken FOI—an ex-coalition Minister has described that as a "rigged jury"—botched the release of Cabinet papers, watered down consultation rules, and is now being investigated by the Information Commissioner for withholding thousands of items of spending data. If sunlight really is the best disinfectant, why has the Minister now abolished every single senior civil service post with responsibility for transparency?
Major Projects Authority — House of Commons, 2016-01-27
Topic: Government Operations
Margaret Olivia Hillier (Labour, Centre-left): The Minister for the Cabinet Office talks about the Government being the most open ever. Will the Minister without Portfolio sanction the Infrastructure and Projects Authority to release more information about which projects are green, amber or red so that taxpayers know what is going on?
Transparency Agenda — House of Commons, 2016-01-27
Topic: Government Operations
Carolyn Harris (Labour, Centre-left): I thank the Minister of transparency for that response, but does he not agree that it is very difficult for him to lead by example on the transparency agenda when his own Department is being investigated by the Information Commissioner for refusing to publish routine spending data?
Engagements — House of Commons, 2016-01-27
Topic: Macroeconomics
Jeremy Bernard Corbyn (Labour, Centre-left): My question was whether the Prime Minister thinks an effective tax rate of 3% is right or wrong. He did not answer it. The Chancellor of the Exchequer described this arrangement as a "major success", while the Prime Minister’s official spokesperson only called it a "step forward". The Mayor of London described the payment as "quite derisory". What exactly is the Government’s position on this 3% rate of taxation?
Engagements — House of Commons, 2016-01-27
Topic: Macroeconomics
Jeremy Bernard Corbyn (Labour, Centre-left): It was under a Labour Government that the inquiries into Google were begun. In addition, as a percentage of GDP, corporation tax receipts are lower under this Government than under previous Governments. I have a question here from a gentleman called Jeff. [Interruption.] You might well laugh, but Jeff speaks for millions of people when he says to me: "Can you ask the Prime Minister…if as a working man of over 30 years whether there is a scheme which I can join that pays the same rate of tax as Google and other large…corporations?" What does the Prime Minister say to Jeff?
Engagements — House of Commons, 2016-01-27
Topic: Macroeconomics
Jeremy Bernard Corbyn (Labour, Centre-left): The problem is that the Prime Minister is the Prime Minister, and is responsible for the Government and therefore responsible for tax collection. Google made profits of £6 billion in the UK between 2005 and 2015 and is paying £130 million in tax for the whole of that decade. Millions of people this week are filling in their tax returns to get them in by the 31st. They have to send the form back. They do not get the option of 25 meetings with 17 Ministers to decide what their rate of tax is. Many people going to their HMRC offices or returning their forms online this week will say this: why is there one rule for big multinational companies and another for ordinary small businesses and self-employed workers?
Engagements — House of Commons, 2016-01-27
Topic: International Affairs
Jeremy Bernard Corbyn (Labour, Centre-left): We have not had any answers on Google or the bedroom tax, but I ask the Prime Minister this. Shortly before coming into the Chamber, I became aware of the final report of the United Nations panel of experts on Yemen, which has been sent to the Government. It makes very disturbing reading. The report says that the panel has documented that coalition forces have "conducted airstrikes targeting civilians and civilian objects, in violation of international humanitarian law, including camps for internally displaced persons and refugees…civilian residential areas; medical facilities; schools; mosques" These are very disturbing reports. In the light of this, will the Prime Minister agree to launch immediately an inquiry and a full review into the arms export licences to Saudi Arabia and suspend those arms sales until that review has been concluded?
Points of Order — House of Commons, 2016-01-27
Topic: Government Operations
Paula Michelle Sherriff (Labour, Centre-left): On a point of order, Mr Speaker. At Cabinet Office questions before the recess, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster stated in response to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Batley and Spen (Jo Cox) that Kirklees Council had "£200 million in useable and unused reserves"—[Official Report, 9 December 2015; Vol. 603, c. 979.] and concluded that the problems that we reported were facing our constituents were, therefore, "not real ones". I have now had it confirmed, not just by officers of the local authority, that its unused reserves are nowhere remotely close to that figure. Even including reserves that are already allocated and not useable, the figure is nowhere near £200 million. Through a written answer, the Minister with responsibility for local government, the hon. Member for Nuneaton (Mr Jones), has confirmed that according to the Government’s own figures Kirklees Council had less than a fifth of that amount in unallocated financial reserves at the end of the last financial year. May I ask you, Mr Speaker, what recourse there is for Members when a Minister has, even if unintentionally, misled this House on a matter that so seriously affects our constituents?