argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
Blue Badge Scheme: Hidden Disabilities — House of Commons, 2019-07-18
Topic: Transportation
Jamie Hume Stone (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): I am a Scottish MP, but the blue badge scheme is UK-wide. As the Chamber knows, my wife is disabled and nothing is a bigger pain than to run my wife to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness and find that all the parking spaces have been taken or, worse still, that people who do not have the badge have taken spaces. Will the Government ensure that people who abuse the system are sorted out and brought to account as quickly as possible?
Community Transport Operators — House of Commons, 2019-07-18
Topic: Transportation
Timothy James Farron (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): In places such as Sedbergh and Dent, community bus services have become a lifeline for people who would otherwise be isolated from the communities around them, and I am massively grateful to the volunteers who make those services possible. Community bus services have become essential because over the past 30 years Governments of all colours have chosen to stop seeing the provision of bus services as a service at all, and have allowed rural communities such as mine to become increasingly cut off and stranded. Will the Minister agree to launch a new transport deal for rural communities, with new investment for bus services that are regular, reliable and affordable?
Road Transport: Decarbonisation — House of Commons, 2019-07-18
Topic: Environment
Christine Anne Jardine (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): Low emission zones are vital to decarbonising our cities. My constituency of Edinburgh West has two of the worst polluted roads in Scotland. At the moment, the city is consulting on a low emission zone, but it can work effectively only if all road transport, not just commercial, is decarbonised and moved out of the city altogether—not just moved from one area to another. Will the Minister commit to what we have already heard, which is that we need to decarbonise to clean up our cities—and we need to do it quicker than 2040?
Detainees — House of Commons, 2019-07-18
Topic: Law and Crime
Thomas Anthony Brake (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): The Government are wrong to reject a judge-led inquiry, which was the only way to find out if the lessons have been learned. Given the Minister’s statement, will he commit to two measures: first, legislation to provide redress for victims of extraordinary rendition; and, secondly, an immediate review of guidance should it become clear that UK personnel are still at risk of breaking the law?
Imprisonment of Catalan Leaders — House of Commons, 2019-10-15
Topic: International Affairs
Jamie Hume Stone (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): It is a hell of a mess in Spain, and it is likely to get worse. That is the fact of the matter. As the SNP Members in front of me know, I was on a different side when it came to the Scottish independence referendum, yet I think it is to the great credit of Scotland and indeed of the colleagues in front of me that we kept it civil and keep it civil today. I am also mindful that Senator Mitchell and General de Chastelain helped to improve—let us put it that way—the peace situation in Northern Ireland. Is it worth the Government considering forming together a party, perhaps of people from the independence movements of Scotland and Wales with those of us who were on the other side, to offer our services to Spain to try to de-escalate an extremely dangerous situation at this stage?
Britain’s Place in the World — House of Commons, 2019-10-15
Topic: Foreign Trade
Timothy James Farron (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): May I point out that I stood on a manifesto promising to fight for a second referendum, a referendum on the deal, so that the people could have the final say on whatever is stitched up in the vape-filled rooms in Brussels and London? May I also point out that in the Lake District, where we have a marvellous export—our tourism industry—one in three of the staff on whom we rely are from overseas, most of them from the EU, and the Government’s proposal to introduce a £30,000 salary floor for those people would decimate our tourism industry? Will the right hon. Gentleman sort that out before he causes such enormous harm to such an important part of our economy?
Britain's Place in the World — House of Commons, 2019-10-15
Topic: International Affairs
Thomas Anthony Brake (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): Does the right hon. and learned Gentleman agree that if the Government genuinely mean "do or die" and are committed to crashing us out of the European Union after 31 October with no deal, the Secretary of State, who earlier refused to answer the question put to him by the right hon. Member for Leeds Central (Hilary Benn) about the impact on Northern Ireland farmers, which would be catastrophic, should come to the House to answer that question?
Assisted Dying — House of Commons, 2019-10-08
Topic: Law and Crime
John Vincent Cable (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): The Secretary of State will be aware that, under the current law, people can be sentenced to up to 14 years in prison for assisting the suicide of a terminally ill loved one in great pain, and that the Crown Prosecution Service is pursuing prosecutions, with traumatic effects in some cases, so why have the Government decided to abandon even the call for evidence that his predecessor initiated only a few weeks ago?
US Troop Withdrawal from Northern Syria — House of Commons, 2019-10-08
Topic: International Affairs
Jamie Hume Stone (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): The right hon. Member for Bournemouth East (Mr Ellwood) and others have rightly spoken about getting international co-operation on persuading President Trump of the error of his ways. We have friends in the US; we know that General Petraeus and elements of the Republican party disapprove of Trump’s activities. Could we not use a back-door approach, via our friends and parking our tanks in his back yard, to get the President to change his mind? With an eye on the next election, that might work.
HMRC Impact Analysis: Customs — House of Commons, 2019-10-08
Topic: Macroeconomics
Edward Jonathon Davey (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): Given that HMRC has now shown that Brexit means red tape, and that this would harm trade, destroy jobs and cut growth, what estimate has the Treasury made of the impact of lower growth on Britain’s public finances? Does the Minister accept that the Office for Budget Responsibility has said—and now the IFS analysis has shown—that borrowing will rocket under a no deal? Is it not now clear that under the blues, we will be going into the red?
Exiting the European Union (Plant Health) — House of Commons, 2019-10-08
Topic: Environment
Jamie Hume Stone (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): The Minister has given a full and interesting answer. Global warming is upon us, and of course as global warming proceeds, various species of animals and flowers are migrating ever northwards to the British Isles and across Europe. I plead with the Minister to consult our scientists and experts at Oxford, Cambridge, Edinburgh and St Andrews on what dangerous species might be tempted north, even into my constituency, by what is happening in the world.
Exports: No Deal — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Transportation
Questions: What recent assessment the Government have made of the effect on the transportation of goods of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.
Thomas Anthony Brake (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): Would not the best way of measuring the effect of transportation of goods on the UK leaving the EU without a deal be to publish the Operation Yellowhammer documents, rather than sanitising or shredding them, and allowing Members of Parliament to interview the civil servants responsible for writing them?
No Deal — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Agriculture
Jane Dodds (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): Thank you, Mr Speaker. Diolch yn fawr iawn. What would the Secretary of State say to the National Farmers Union, which says that a no-deal Brexit would be catastrophic for farmers? The Farmers Union of Wales says it would have disastrous consequences for farmers. What would he say sitting opposite family farmers in places like Brecon and Radnorshire and across Wales who really fear for the livelihoods and their futures?
Science and Technology Committee — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Environment
Norman Peter Lamb (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): I am grateful to the shadow Minister for that contribution. It is fair to say that the legislating for net zero came towards the end of our inquiry, so much of the evidence was received before that, but the consensus was clear that we need to significantly up the ambition of the policies that are in place in order to deliver net zero or, indeed, even to deliver the previous target of 80%. We not only have to will the end, but we have to will the means to get there.
Science and Technology Committee — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Environment
Norman Peter Lamb (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): First, I thank my hon. Friend for all her work on the Committee during my time as Chair. This is probably my last appearance in the Chamber as Chair of the Committee or, indeed, as the Member of Parliament for North Norfolk, and it has been an enormous pleasure to work with her and other Committee members I agree with all my hon. Friend’s questions. We are right to applaud the Government for setting the 2050 target in legislation but, as she says, to maintain public trust and to confront this existential challenge, we now have to get the measures in place to deliver on the target.
Science and Technology Committee — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Environment
Norman Peter Lamb (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): I totally agree. I am grateful for the hon. Gentleman’s kind comments, and I thank him for his excellent contributions to the Committee and for always being prompt and reliable. He has the prize for being the most reliable member of all I very much agree on the need to incentivise people to shift to ultra low emissions vehicles. In a sense, there is a personal story here, because I am due to take delivery of an electric car.
Science and Technology Committee — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: International Affairs
Norman Peter Lamb (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): I thank the hon. Lady for making that important point. She is right that we can generate economic growth in our country by greening our economy, but we also have massive export opportunities. We have the opportunity to assist the developing world in decarbonising its economies and in growing in a way that does not damage the planet. Unfortunately, through our development assistance, we are still not always consistent in that approach.
Science and Technology Committee — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Energy
Norman Peter Lamb (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): I thank the hon. Gentleman for his kind comments, and it is always a pleasure to see him as he comes and goes from this place over many years. He is right to raise this issue, and there is not yet clarity on the roll-out of charging points. Other countries, such as Norway, are well ahead of us in achieving that. In order to encourage people to buy electric, we have to assure them that they will be able to recharge without difficulty.
Science and Technology Committee — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Energy
Jamie Hume Stone (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): I am not a member of the Committee but, for the record, I would also like to extend my personal thanks to my right hon. Friend for all his kindness over the short years I have been here. I am particularly interested in his statement on offshore renewable energy, which is a success story in my constituency. What consideration did the Committee give to the development of further sites around the British Isles where this might be appropriate?
Science and Technology Committee — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Energy
Norman Peter Lamb (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his kind comments. There is clearly an enormous opportunity to help decarbonise our electricity generation capacity in this country. It is clear from the evidence we received that there is great opportunity to increase offshore wind capacity around our shores.
Science and Technology Committee — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Environment
Norman Peter Lamb (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): I thank my friend for his massive contribution—when he has not been dragged away by HS2. It has been a great pleasure to work with him. He is right: this requires action on all fronts. There is a particular need to focus on the heating of buildings and on transport. We have made very little progress on those matters, and urgent progress is essential. Unless we attack where we put carbon into the atmosphere on all fronts, we will fail to meet the targets, and fail future generations.
Science and Technology Committee — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Environment
Norman Peter Lamb (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): That is really kind. It has been an enormous pleasure working with the hon. Gentleman and I thank him for taking a lead role in this vital report. I entirely agree with his comments. The Prime Minister has said that he wants the Government to be the greenest ever. We have heard that before, but there now must be substance to back up that statement. That requires key policies that provide the incentives and the regulatory framework to deliver that essential target by 2050.
UK Shared Prosperity Fund — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Transportation
Jamie Hume Stone (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): When the hon. Gentleman and I drive around the highlands we cannot help but notice the signs with the stars on them on new bits of road that say that the development was funded by the EU. Without that funding, those roads would probably not have been built and transport across our vast constituencies would have been difficult for our constituents. Replacing the funding is essential. Notwithstanding the fact that the Minister has met me several times, tried to do his level best and knows the area, I am bound to say that we seem no further forward, which my constituents find not just frustrating but deeply worrying.
UK Shared Prosperity Fund — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Labor
Jane Dodds (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker, for giving me the opportunity to say a few words on this really important issue. I am grateful to the hon. Member for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey (Drew Hendry) for bringing it before the House We have heard from colleagues from Wales, and I echo what they said about the importance of this pot of money for people in Wales, particularly for rural areas. As the Member for Brecon and Radnorshire, I know that we are particularly reliant on these sorts of funds to support our residents. I would like to say a few words about one project in particular: Workways+ in Powys, which helps young people to access jobs. In rural areas, we have a real challenge in keeping young people in our communities. Many want to move out to perhaps more exciting and more urban ways of living, but we want to keep them in our communities. They are our future. They are going to be the families of the future and the people who work in our communities, and we want to keep them there. Workways+ in Powys does a wonderful job of keeping our young people in our rural community I ask the Minister to address four points. First, will he give us a very clear timescale for publishing where the shared prosperity fund is going? Secondly, what is the consultation process? Thirdly, will he give us an assurance that the moneys from this fund will go to the devolved Governments? Certainly, in terms of Wales, he has had very clear representations on that. Finally, we all have our views on the politics of this issue, but we share a common interest: we want this fund, and we want the timescale for the fund and information to be given to us and our communities as quickly as possible.
Leaving the EU: No Deal — House of Commons, 2019-07-24
Topic: Agriculture
Alexander Morrison Carmichael (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): A no-deal Brexit will be catastrophic for Scotland’s hill farmers, especially those looking to export sheepmeat to the European Union. That is not just my view but the view of the National Farmers Union Scotland and the NFU across the four parts of the United Kingdom. Can the Secretary of State give me and them some assurance that he will not just sit in Cabinet and watch their livelihoods destroyed?
British Steel — House of Commons, 2019-07-24
Topic: Macroeconomics
Chuka Harrison Umunna (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): We can be incredibly proud of our steel industry. It is of course a primary example of where industrial activism generally, on the part of the Government, is absolutely vital. If we see any form of Brexit, which the Secretary of State knows I oppose, it will of course be even more important that we have industrial activism. I am in no way agitating for his removal, but will he assure this House that if he is replaced in post in the next 24 hours, he will urge any successor not to turn their back on implementing a proper industrial strategy? Now is certainly not the time for a return to the Thatcherite economics that, frankly, saw the destruction of so many great industries in this country.
Public Services — House of Commons, 2019-10-16
Topic: Law and Crime
Christine Anne Jardine (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): Does the Home Secretary agree that while we all support and respect the work done by our police officers, and sometimes worry for their safety in what they do, the best way to protect them and the public is not by indulging in scare tactics and language but to prevent crime—to invest in the social, medical and educational programmes that prevent people from getting involved in crime in the first place?
Public Services — House of Commons, 2019-10-16
Topic: Technology
Jamie Hume Stone (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): Broadband is an enormous issue in my constituency. In 2016, the SNP promised 100% broadband coverage in Scotland by 2021. Does the Home Secretary agree that, when there is a failure to deliver, which is clear in my constituency, the UK Government should step in and take over?
Public Services — House of Commons, 2019-10-16
Topic: Law and Crime
Layla Michelle Moran (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): I thank the Home Secretary for attending, with me, the funeral on Monday of PC Andrew Harper, and for the support she showed the community in Abingdon where he served. It was very gratefully received. She also joined me in commending a local social enterprise called Tap Social, which makes "criminally good beer", and takes former offenders and gives them that first chance in life to help them to take that step on that ladder.
Public Services — House of Commons, 2019-10-16
Topic: Education
Layla Michelle Moran (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): The hon. Lady is giving a powerful speech that shows how this Government are giving with one hand and taking away with the other. Every Member looking at the raw numbers of how much money their schools will get should be aware that the rise in the starting salary for teachers, which we would all agree is a good thing, will be coming out of those very same budgets. Do not assume this money is going directly into the hands of teachers and children; it is not. The Government should be funding this on top of the extra money.
Public Services — House of Commons, 2019-10-16
Topic: Law and Crime
Jamie Hume Stone (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): I thank the right hon. Lady for graciously giving way. Of course, policing in Scotland is devolved to the Scottish Government, and the Scottish Government can make laws different from those made by the UK Government. Does she agree that the closest possible co-operation with the Scottish Government will be necessary if these laudable aims are to be realised?
Public Services — House of Commons, 2019-10-16
Topic: Social Welfare
Jamie Hume Stone (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): Thinking of social care and care of the elderly, I give the Scottish Government credit for their good work on tackling fuel poverty. Altnaharra in my constituency is the coldest place in the UK every year, and I therefore have many good people who simply cannot afford their fuel bills. Does the hon. Lady agree that it would be a good move for the UK Government, or possibly the Scottish Government, to consider some form of social security system whereby additional payments are made to the most needy to help meet those extra big bills?
Public Services — House of Commons, 2019-10-16
Topic: Education
Jamie Hume Stone (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): Obviously, I am in Scottish form today. Is not another strength of the Scottish degree that it has a much broader base in terms of first-year subjects, one of which people carry on in the second year?
Public Services — House of Commons, 2019-10-16
Topic: Education
Layla Michelle Moran (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): It is a pleasure to follow the right hon. Member for Guildford (Anne Milton), who I know shares my passion for public services We are doing this in the context of a potential general election, and we have to address the elephant in the room: what will happen if we go ahead with a no-deal Brexit, or indeed any Brexit at all. The Institute for Fiscal Studies has said that if we go off the cliff edge of no deal, we will be looking at this country’s borrowing rising to a 50-year high. The finances of this country will pale into insignificance compared with even the worst of the financial crash. There is only one way to ensure that we properly fund our public services, and that is to stop Brexit altogether, which is what the Liberal Democrats want to do. We want to do that because we care deeply about our NHS and our schools and about the day-to-day things that make a real difference to people and that save their lives. Unless we stop Brexit, we will not have the money to pay for all that, but I am sure that we all agree across the House that what we want to do is fully fund our public services We have a short amount of time today, and it will perhaps be unsurprising that I shall focus my remarks specifically on schools. As ever on such occasions, I have looked at the text of the Queen’s Speech. I looked and looked for a mention of schools, but I found only one "motherhood and apple pie" statement about them. Just one, at a time when our schools are going through an incredible funding crisis. I like to judge people by their words, but given that there were so few, let us instead judge this Government by their actions Even this year, even now, with all the funding announcements that this Government have made, schools are under enormous financial pressure. They include my own, where I am a governor, and all the others in the surrounding areas. I had an email from Liz from Botley, who is the mother of a child at a local school. She said of the headteacher: "They have now asked parents to contribute a recommended donation of £10 per month per child. What a disgraceful state of affairs that the education of our young people is just left for parents who can afford it to pick up the bill. This is obviously totally unfair, and if allowed to continue, this will lead to a disastrous two-tier system where parents that can afford the top-up will be ‘buying’ into better-funded schools. No one cares as deeply as the parents that the education is the very best it can be, so we are unfairly pressured into filling the hole left by central government."