argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
Charter for Budget Responsibility — House of Commons, 2017-01-24
Topic: Macroeconomics
John Martin McDonnell (Labour, Centre-left): What we now have in our economy is a scandal of bogus self-employment. A lot of the growth in self-employment has happened on that basis, and it includes the most exploitative aspects. The hon. Gentleman mentions inequality, so let us look at some of the figures. If we use an index other than the Gini coefficient, which does not take into account the real outstripping of the super-rich, such as the P90/P10 ratio—this looks at the 10th and 90th percentiles of income distribution—we find that inequality has risen every year over the past five years. Let us look at what has happened out there in individual companies. If we compare the average total pay of FTSE 100 chief executives with that of their employees in 2015, we find a ratio of 129:1; in the mid-1990s, it was no more than 45:1. That shows the grotesque levels of inequality that result from the economy that has been created over the past seven years Yesterday’s Green Paper seemed to recognise the failure of previous policy, and there has certainly been a change of rhetoric. The Prime Minister has suddenly been won over by the merits of an active industrial policy. The recognition that the six previous years have failed badly is welcome, but nowhere is it clear that the Government recognise the scale of the problem. The weaknesses and inequalities in our economy stem from decades of underinvestment, when decisions about what and where to invest have been taken by too few people at the top and to the benefit of that tiny handful. That leads to an economy in which the Government are planning for more than £5,000 of investment per head in London, compared with just £413 in the north-east of England. It is an economy in which a single London capital project receives more Government backing than the whole of Yorkshire, and in which the £500 million promised yesterday for the north of England is set against £18 billion of cuts from local authority budgets since 2010.
Charter for Budget Responsibility — House of Commons, 2017-01-24
Topic: Macroeconomics
John Martin McDonnell (Labour, Centre-left): I do not want to interfere in private banter, but I draw the hon. Gentleman’s attention to the fact that, in 2009, the person who is now Chancellor—he was then shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury—condemned any concept of rules. In the rule that he eventually helped to develop in opposition, and that eventually came into force, there was a welfare cap that has now been completely disregarded. The deficit was meant to be not reduced but eliminated by 2015, with a reduction in debt. The rules seem to have gone out the window very early for this Chancellor.
Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration and Health Service Commissioner for England (Appointment) — House of Commons, 2017-01-24
Topic: Government Operations
Valerie Carol Marian Vaz (Labour, Centre-left): I welcome the Minister’s comments and fully endorse his sentiments. I add the thanks of Her Majesty’s Opposition to the outgoing Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, Dame Julie Mellor. The Minister and I both served as members of the Health Committee, so we know of her hard work. I thank the interview panel, which was chaired by Philippa Helme, Principal Clerk of the Table Office; all the panellists were extremely formidable. I thank the Health Committee and the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee for their scrutiny at the pre-appointment hearing Mr Behrens is an extremely qualified candidate for the role of parliamentary and health service ombudsman, with all the expectations of that role from the public. He has shown that as the independent adjudicator and chief executive of the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for higher education, and, more importantly, in his work on the transformation to democratic rule in South Africa, for which he was personally commended by the late President Nelson Mandela and the now Lord Robin Butler. There was also his transformative work as complaints commissioner to the Bar Standards Board of England and Wales, which delivered a review that led to 52 changes in disciplinary and complaints procedures, including a new process of determination by agreement, and in setting up the widely respected civil service fast stream. Her Majesty’s Opposition welcome and endorse the appointment of Mr Rob Behrens CBE and wish him well in his new role.
Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration and Health Service Commissioner for England (Appointment) — House of Commons, 2017-01-24
Topic: Government Operations
Kelvin Peter Hopkins (Labour, Centre-left): It is a pleasure for me to support everything that has been said so far about Dame Julie Mellor and Rob Behrens. It has been a great pleasure working with Julie Mellor over the years, during her term of office. She is indeed a charming and intelligent person. I think that she has had quite a hard time, because of the pressures of getting the work of the ombudsman right. That work will have to continue, obviously. I am looking forward to the reception for Dame Julie in your rooms shortly, Mr Speaker As for Rob Behrens, much has been said about his experience. He has a wealth of valuable and varied experience, and his role in South Africa was quite stunning. As a member of the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee, I took part in the confirmation hearing and I was immensely impressed with his performance. He is measured, highly intelligent, precise and thoughtful, and he answered every question in that manner. I think he will do an excellent job of carrying on the role of the ombudsman I wanted to speak because I thought it was important that we heard from an Opposition Back Bencher as well as the Front-Bench team and the Chair of our Select Committee, who spoke eloquently about what we have done and on behalf of the present and future ombudsmen. Thank you, Mr Speaker, for allowing me to speak. I endorse everything that has been said.
Occupied Palestinian Territories — House of Commons, 2017-01-11
Topic: International Affairs
Questions: What assessment she has made of the implications of demolitions in the occupied Palestinian territories in 2015-16 for her Department’s policies in that region.; What assessment she has made of the implications of demolitions in the Occupied Palestinian Territories in 2015-16 for her Department’s policies in that region.
Louise Margaret Haigh (Labour, Centre-left): The Bedouin village of Umm-al-Hiran remains under threat from a demolition that would cast out 800 villagers, and the number of demolitions in the occupied territories in the first two weeks of January is almost four times greater than the number at this point last year. What support is being given to the people who are being driven out of their homes, and what message is being sent to the Israeli Government that such demolitions are completely unjustifiable?
Aleppo — House of Commons, 2017-01-11
Topic: International Affairs
Stephen Twigg (Labour, Centre-left): At the world humanitarian summit in Istanbul last year, the United Kingdom committed to the centrality of protection as a fundamental principle. How has that guided DFID’s approach to the situation in Aleppo, and what lessons will we learn from the tragedy of Aleppo for future civilian protection?
Aleppo — House of Commons, 2017-01-11
Topic: International Affairs
Questions: People give to Singing for Syrians because they know that 100% of the money they donate will be spent on prosthetic limbs and medical salaries in the region, as close to Aleppo as we can get it. What more can the Secretary of State do to ensure that DFID money is spent in the region and not wasted on advocacy and lobbying in the UK?
Alison McGovern (Labour, Centre-left): The Secretary of State is already talking about Aleppo in the past tense, but the besiegement is still happening right now, and the British Government must do more. What representations has she made to the Foreign Secretary about putting in place more and harder sanctions on Russia?
Aleppo — House of Commons, 2017-01-11
Topic: International Affairs
Questions: People give to Singing for Syrians because they know that 100% of the money they donate will be spent on prosthetic limbs and medical salaries in the region, as close to Aleppo as we can get it. What more can the Secretary of State do to ensure that DFID money is spent in the region and not wasted on advocacy and lobbying in the UK?
Kate Ofunne Osamor (Labour, Centre-left): I should like to focus on Idlib in north-western Syria, where civilians who have fled Aleppo are the main target of Government strikes. Will the Secretary of State tell the House how DFID is supporting those wounded and displaced civilians?
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2017-01-11
Topic: International Affairs
Imran Hussain (Labour, Centre-left): The protection of civilians in Aleppo must remain our absolute priority, but if we are to provide food, water, shelter and humanitarian relief to civilians who, for four years, have faced the horrors of an inhumane war, we need to ensure that the ceasefire, although currently holding, remains more than a brief pause. Can the Secretary of State therefore say what efforts the Government are making to ensure that conflict does not reignite in Aleppo? What contingency plan does DFID have in place to continue providing aid to civilians should the conflict reignite? We must not see humanity in meltdown again.
Engagements — House of Commons, 2017-01-11
Topic: Social Welfare
Questions: Westinghouse’s Springfields site in my constituency employs more than 1,200 people in highly skilled jobs manufacturing nuclear fuel, which generates 15% of the UK’s electricity. Does my right hon. Friend agree that the nuclear industry is of crucial importance to the north-west economy? Will she continue to support the construction of a new generation of nuclear power stations to guarantee jobs in the region?
Jeremy Bernard Corbyn (Labour, Centre-left): I am sorry to have to bring the Prime Minister back to the subject of social care, which I raised before Christmas. The reason I did so, and will continue to do so, is that she has not addressed the problem. The Government have cut £4.6 billion from the social care budget. The King’s Fund says that there is a social care funding gap of almost £2 billion this year Earlier this week, the Prime Minister said that she wanted to create a "shared society". Well, we certainly have that: more people sharing hospital corridors on trolleys; more people sharing waiting areas in A&E departments; and more people sharing in the anxiety created by this Government. Our NHS is in crisis, but the Prime Minister is in denial. May I suggest to her that, on the economic question, she should cancel the corporate tax cuts, and spend the money where it is needed—on people in desperate need in social care and in our hospitals?
Green Investment Bank — House of Commons, 2017-01-11
Topic: Macroeconomics
Edward Samuel Miliband (Labour, Centre-left): In the interests of consensus, we can agree that there was cross-party support for the Green Investment Bank right from the get-go. I would say to the Minister that there is also cross-party concern about this sale—and I could mention Lord Barker, who was a Minister in the last Parliament, Vince Cable and of course people on the Labour side. Is not the key question for the Minister and the Secretary of State this one? They promised a new approach to industrial strategy with a new Department, by contrast with their predecessors who did not even use the phrase "industrial strategy". The question to the Minister is: what has changed since they took over? If there is a moment to prove commitment to the new industrial strategy, it is this one in respect of their plans for the GIB.
Green Investment Bank — House of Commons, 2017-01-11
Topic: Environment
Kevin Denis Brennan (Labour, Centre-left): I remind the Minister that during the passage of the Bill that became the Enterprise Act 2016, the Government rejected a Labour amendment that would have guaranteed the green purpose of the bank. Will he give an assurance today? After privatisation, will the bank be free to invest in fracking projects?
Green Investment Bank — House of Commons, 2017-01-11
Topic: Foreign Trade
Diana Ruth Johnson (Labour, Centre-left): Given Brexit and the uncertainty around it, is it not risky to sell the GIB at this time? How does the Minister envisage the Government ensuring that money will be available for the new innovative technologies that will be very important for areas such as mine in Hull and the Humber?
Green Investment Bank — House of Commons, 2017-01-11
Topic: Energy
Margaret Greenwood (Labour, Centre-left): The Aldersgate Group has highlighted the fact that the strength of the Green Investment Bank is that it has supported innovative projects throughout the UK that help us not only to tackle climate change but to drive down costs in the NHS and local government through energy efficiency. Will the Government heed the warning of the former Conservative Energy Minister, Lord Barker, that the bank is heading for break-up? Will they halt the sale to ensure that the bank remains a single public institution that is one step ahead of the market in the green projects that it backs?
NHS and Social Care Funding — House of Commons, 2017-01-11
Topic: Labor
Jonathan Michael Graham Ashworth (Labour, Centre-left): I do not have the details of the Sussex STP to hand, but presumably if it contains any suggested closures the hon. Gentleman will be campaigning against them and knocking on the door of the Secretary of State, if those remarks are an indication of his point of view on these matters.
NHS and Social Care Funding — House of Commons, 2017-01-11
Topic: Macroeconomics
Matthew Toby Perkins (Labour, Centre-left): The hon. Lady is right to say that we have an ageing population but that is predictable. Does she think it is also significant that in 2008 the UK was spending about the same as all the major EU nations, whereas the OECD now says that we are spending considerably less than most of the other major nations? Is that not actually causing this problem?
Welfare Powers — House of Commons, 2017-01-18
Topic: Social Welfare
Questions: What progress has been made on transferring further welfare powers to the Scottish Government. The transfer of significant powers over welfare decisions clearly raises complicated issues, as we have seen over the past few months. Will my right hon. Friend update the House on the recent work of the joint ministerial working group on welfare and give his assessment of progress?
David Anderson (Labour, Centre-left): I am sure the whole House will join me in sending our condolences to the family of Canon Kenyon Wright, who, sadly, passed away last week. He was a principled man whose legacy should serve as a reminder to all of us that when we work together it is possible to deliver the impossible This Tory Government are currently moving disabled people from the disability living allowance to personal independence payments, and it is estimated that the people of Scotland will lose out on £190 million a year as a result. If that was not bad enough, the Government did this a year ago but they withdrew the timetable and have not issued a new one. So can the Secretary of State please inform the House, and indeed the people of Scotland, when they can expect to lose out on this £190 million a year?
Agriculture — House of Commons, 2017-01-18
Topic: Foreign Trade
Questions: Will the Secretary of State confirm what he said to The Sunday Times in November that the Scottish Parliament will retain full responsibility over agriculture and fisheries following Brexit and that“no powers will be re-reserved to Westminster.”Will he tell us: yes or no?
David Anderson (Labour, Centre-left): Almost two thirds of the UK’s agriculture exports are to the EU. After what we heard from the Prime Minister yesterday, there is an increasing possibility that we could revert to World Trade Organisation trade rules on exit from the EU. Does the Secretary of State agree with the NFU Scotland, which says that the potential for 20% tariffs as a result of WTO trade rules will be increasingly damaging for the profitability of Scottish agriculture?
Engagements — House of Commons, 2017-01-18
Topic: International Affairs
Questions: Will the Prime Minister join me in paying tribute to the NHS staff who provide us with such magnificent treatment day in, day out? Does she agree that people who miss NHS appointments without cancelling them cost the NHS a great deal of money and also take up slots that would otherwise be used by other patients? Will she consider how she might let those people know about the inconvenience that they are causing to the NHS?
Jeremy Bernard Corbyn (Labour, Centre-left): Yesterday the Prime Minister snubbed Parliament and snubbed the Brexit Committee’s recommendation to bring forward a White Paper, while at the same time describing the referendum as "a vote to restore…our parliamentary democracy" This is about our jobs, living standards and future prosperity; why will it not be scrutinised by this House?
Engagements — House of Commons, 2017-01-18
Topic: International Affairs
Questions: Will the Prime Minister join me in paying tribute to the NHS staff who provide us with such magnificent treatment day in, day out? Does she agree that people who miss NHS appointments without cancelling them cost the NHS a great deal of money and also take up slots that would otherwise be used by other patients? Will she consider how she might let those people know about the inconvenience that they are causing to the NHS?
Jeremy Bernard Corbyn (Labour, Centre-left): Restoring parliamentary democracy while sidelining Parliament—it is not so much the Iron Lady as the Irony Lady Yesterday the Prime Minister finally provided some detail. May I urge her to stop her threats of a bargain basement Brexit—a low-pay tax haven on the shores of Europe? It would not necessarily damage the EU, but it would certainly damage this country, businesses, jobs and public services. She demeans herself, her office and our country’s standing by making such threats.
Engagements — House of Commons, 2017-01-18
Topic: Foreign Trade
Questions: Will the Prime Minister join me in paying tribute to the NHS staff who provide us with such magnificent treatment day in, day out? Does she agree that people who miss NHS appointments without cancelling them cost the NHS a great deal of money and also take up slots that would otherwise be used by other patients? Will she consider how she might let those people know about the inconvenience that they are causing to the NHS?
Jeremy Bernard Corbyn (Labour, Centre-left): The Prime Minister was the one who made the threat about slashing corporation tax. If we reduce corporation tax to the lowest common denominator, this country loses £120 billion in revenue. How, then, do we fund public services Last year the Prime Minister said that leaving the single market could make trade deals "considerably harder" and that "while we could certainly negotiate our own trade agreements, there would be no guarantee that they would be on terms as good as those we enjoy now", but yesterday she offered us only vague guarantees. Does she now disagree with herself?
Engagements — House of Commons, 2017-01-18
Topic: Foreign Trade
Questions: Will the Prime Minister join me in paying tribute to the NHS staff who provide us with such magnificent treatment day in, day out? Does she agree that people who miss NHS appointments without cancelling them cost the NHS a great deal of money and also take up slots that would otherwise be used by other patients? Will she consider how she might let those people know about the inconvenience that they are causing to the NHS?
Jeremy Bernard Corbyn (Labour, Centre-left): The Chancellor said after the referendum that to lose single market access would be "catastrophic". A few days later, the Health Secretary said: "The first part of the plan must be clarity that we will remain in the single market" The Prime Minister said something about "frictionless" access to the single market and a bespoke customs union deal. Could she give us a little bit of certainty and clarity about this? Has she ruled out paying any kind of fee to achieve access to what she describes as a "frictionless" market?
Rhondda — House of Commons, 2017-01-18
Topic: Government Operations
Christopher John Bryant (Labour, Centre-left): That is not quite an answer to whether she will visit the Rhondda. I hope she will; I am happy to accommodate her—I can do bacon and eggs. More importantly, I could take her to see the best brass band in the world, the Cory band, or, for that matter, I could take her to the local food bank, based in the closed-down Conservative club. Since 2010, the Government have closed the local courts, tax office, Department for Work and Pensions office and driving centre, and now they intend to close all the tax offices in Wales and centralise them in Cardiff. We in the valleys feel ignored by the Government. May I beg her to change direction and start putting Government offices in the small towns, villages and valleys of this country?
Human Rights: Burma — House of Commons, 2017-01-18
Topic: International Affairs
Catherine Elizabeth West (Labour, Centre-left): Thank you for granting this urgent question, Mr Speaker. I congratulate the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam (Paul Scully) on securing it For all of us who have campaigned for years for democracy and an end to repression in Myanmar, including many in this House, it is all the more troubling to see evidence that, for all the progress that has been made, the suppression of the majority in Myanmar has been replaced, in far too many cases, with the persecution of minorities. In particular, as the hon. Gentleman said, it was shocking to hear of the recent disappearance of two Kachin Christian leaders, who have apparently been kidnapped in northern Shan state. It is incumbent on the Government, and indeed on the international community as a whole, to press the Myanmar authorities urgently to provide information on their whereabouts and to secure their immediate freedom We are also deeply concerned about the continuing humanitarian crisis in Rakhine state, and particularly about the recent reports from the United Nations, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch that a raft of human rights violations have taken place in recent months, including cases of torture, rape and sexual assault, summary executions and the destruction of mosques and homes Upholding human rights should be the driving force of our foreign policy, and we therefore call on the Government to use Britain’s influence to stand up for the rights and freedoms to which all human beings are entitled and to raise concerns with the authorities in Myanmar as a matter of urgency, including on the persecution and poverty that many people are suffering and on the need for full humanitarian access to all affected areas I hope the Minister can tell us today about the representations he has made to his counterparts in Myanmar, particularly on access for the UN-appointed rapporteur, Yanghee Lee, and on how he is planning to ensure that the rights of Myanmar’s people are protected.
Human Rights: Burma — House of Commons, 2017-01-18
Topic: International Affairs
Joan Marie Ryan (Labour, Centre-left): Undoubtedly there is reason for concern at the military crackdown on the Rohingya Muslim minority. I understand that Aung San Suu Kyi has made it clear that she welcomes the international community’s support and efforts in seeking peace and stability, and in building better relations with communities. I hope the Foreign Secretary will focus on that during his visit. The UN special rapporteur, Yanghee Lee, is on her fifth information-gathering visit, so does the Foreign Secretary intend to speak to her?