argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
Childhood Obesity Strategy: Chapter 2 — House of Commons, 2018-06-25
Topic: Health
Sarah James (Wollaston) (Conservative, Centre-right): I warmly welcome the second chapter of the childhood obesity plan, which takes us so much further in a number of areas. Can my hon. Friend the Minister set out the timescale for these consultations and confirm that the responses will be considered in a timely manner, treating this with the urgency it deserves?
Childhood Obesity Strategy: Chapter 2 — House of Commons, 2018-06-25
Topic: Health
Stephen Charles Brine (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank the hon. Lady for what I think was her welcome for this. Looking at the letter on the comprehensive strategy to tackle child obesity that was sent to the Prime Minister on 25 April and signed by her leader, the First Minister of Scotland, I have ticked alongside the bullet points and I reckon that 80% or possibly 90% of the things that her leader has asked for are in this plan. She has asked about inequality, for example, and we have the lowest levels of inequality in 30 years. I am not going to get into the devolution arguments, but I will say that we welcome the North Star policy that the Scottish Government have announced, with the support of Jamie Oliver—who, I might add, has been very supportive and helpful throughout this process. We matched that, but the difference is that we have a plan for how we are going to get there.
Childhood Obesity Strategy: Chapter 2 — House of Commons, 2018-06-25
Topic: Health
David Arthur Stephen Tredinnick (Conservative, Centre-right): Is my hon. Friend aware that Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council is already leading in Leicestershire in the areas of prevention strategy and tackling obesity? Chapter 2 will be widely welcomed. Has he considered talking to supermarkets about healthy shopping strategies?
Childhood Obesity Strategy: Chapter 2 — House of Commons, 2018-06-25
Topic: Health
Stephen Charles Brine (Conservative, Centre-right): I cannot say that I have considered that personally, but I know about lots of the technology solutions that supermarkets are bringing in. I am not surprised to hear the news about my hon. Friend’s local council, and yes, this is absolutely about prevention. Last week, the Prime Minister announced a record investment of new money in the NHS, alongside our new long-term plan, of £20.5 billion a year, but that must go hand in hand with prevention. Investment and prevention are always better than cure.
Childhood Obesity Strategy: Chapter 2 — House of Commons, 2018-06-25
Topic: Health
Stephen Charles Brine (Conservative, Centre-right): Yes, and I thank the right hon. Gentleman for his support for this. Diabetes UK has said: "Diabetes UK welcomes the ambitious range of measures outlined by the government in their commitment to tackling the childhood obesity crisis facing the UK." Its brilliant chief executive, Chris Askew, has been very supportive of this plan. This is one of the drivers of the need to tackle this issue, and no, nobody has to wait for this. There have been many examples, and I am happy to name-check Waitrose, which took the lead on not selling energy drinks to children. Its example was followed by all the other mainline supermarkets.
Childhood Obesity Strategy: Chapter 2 — House of Commons, 2018-06-25
Topic: Health
Stephen Charles Brine (Conservative, Centre-right): I take my right hon. Friend’s views very seriously, but we want to protect children from the advertising of products that are high in saturated fat, salt and sugar, and we are going to consult on introducing a 9 pm watershed. He mentions online, catch-up and social media, and that is one of the reasons that this is an important area for us to consult on. We want to ensure that we get this right, and it is not about punishing the industry. The people who work in the industry and in advertising are also parents, members of society and taxpayers. They also have a stake in this and in the reason for it all to succeed.
Childhood Obesity Strategy: Chapter 2 — House of Commons, 2018-06-25
Topic: Health
Andrew Edmund Armstrong Selous (Conservative, Centre-right): It was the drive and passion of Alderman Eric van der Burg, a right-wing politician, that led to results in bringing down child obesity in Amsterdam. What more do we need to do to get local authority leaders here to see that this is actually part of their core business, not a fringe activity?
Childhood Obesity Strategy: Chapter 2 — House of Commons, 2018-06-25
Topic: Health
Stephen Charles Brine (Conservative, Centre-right): As my hon. Friend will remember from my speaking to the Health Committee, I have also been to Amsterdam, but unfortunately not for as long as the Committee members were. The whole-systems approach taken by Mayor van der Burg and Amsterdam is very impressive and has resulted in a 13% reduction in child obesity. Local authorities can learn from their attempts to market their cities, areas and regions, and I would suggest that having a good, healthy community and a good, healthy look when people walk out of the airport and do not see massive adverts for unhealthy fast food is an important part of that.
Childhood Obesity Strategy: Chapter 2 — House of Commons, 2018-06-25
Topic: Health
Stephen Charles Brine (Conservative, Centre-right): I am very pleased that my hon. Friend made that very helpful contribution. I am a Conservative—I said so in my opening remarks—but at the end of the day this is a publicly funded health service that we all believe in and all love. If we want it to celebrate its 140th birthday, we need to protect it, and that means getting serious about prevention and stopping people coming into the service and getting sick. Everyone in the House—Conservative, Labour and everyone in between—should get behind that.
Childhood Obesity Strategy: Chapter 2 — House of Commons, 2018-06-25
Topic: Health
Philip Thomas Hollobone (Conservative, Centre-right): I think the Minister said that one quarter of children are obese by the time they go into primary school. The figures are shocking. Surely that must mean that nought to five-year-olds have far too much refined sugar in their diet. Can we please have an emphasis on parental responsibility for those young children?
Childhood Obesity Strategy: Chapter 2 — House of Commons, 2018-06-25
Topic: Health
Stephen Charles Brine (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Lady and I went through this at oral questions just last Tuesday. There is a two-part approach: the stick and the carrot. As a carrot, we have a sugar-reduction programme on fizzy drinks, and my colleagues at Public Health England are doing a calorie-reduction programme—working closely with the industry, and with great success, to reduce calories through changes to recipes and portion sizes, for instance. Yes, sometimes the Government need to wave a stick, but there are also times when they need to encourage and to help along the way. We are going to do both.
Childhood Obesity Strategy: Chapter 2 — House of Commons, 2018-06-25
Topic: Health
Stephen Charles Brine (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right. This is not just about some future generation; it is about the generation now that is already too big. It is about helping people through a sugar-reduction programme, a calorie-reduction programme and—something we have not yet talked about—the Daily Mile and the activity programme we see in so many schools in my constituency, and I am sure in the hon. Gentleman’s constituency. That will help children in the future, and it will certainly help children now. It is never too late.
Childhood Obesity Strategy: Chapter 2 — House of Commons, 2018-06-25
Topic: Health
David Anthony Evennett (Conservative, Centre-right): I welcome my hon. Friend’s proposals, and I am grateful for his recent visit to Bexley to see our local plans for coping and dealing with childhood obesity. Chapter 2 is a good plan. Does he agree that targeting sedentary lifestyles is a top priority, and that to do so we need parental involvement?
Childhood Obesity Strategy: Chapter 2 — House of Commons, 2018-06-25
Topic: Health
Stephen Charles Brine (Conservative, Centre-right): It was a pleasure to visit my right hon. Friend’s constituency to see how Bexley Council is using its power, money and public health grant—the council made it very clear to me that it would like more, and my right hon. Friend is a very good advocate on the council’s behalf—to bring forward a whole community response like the one I saw in Amsterdam. I would like to see much more of that in England.
Childhood Obesity Strategy: Chapter 2 — House of Commons, 2018-06-25
Topic: Health
Stephen Charles Brine (Conservative, Centre-right): Yes, that is part of the strategy, in so much as we want local authorities to be involved, and upper tier authorities in England are all now public health authorities in their own right. There is absolutely no reason why sports clubs, which are plentiful in all of our constituencies, should not be a key part of the active lives agenda. Not just children need to do more activity in our country; all of us do.
Childhood Obesity Strategy: Chapter 2 — House of Commons, 2018-06-25
Topic: Health
Jeremy John Elton Lefroy (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank the Minister for the inclusion of both physical exercise and diet in this. Of course physical exercise is vital for mental health as well as physical health. Is the ambition to halve childhood obesity by 2030 ambitious enough, given that this is such an important issue for the future of not only the children, but our health service?
Childhood Obesity Strategy: Chapter 2 — House of Commons, 2018-06-25
Topic: Health
Michael James Tomlinson-Mynors (Conservative, Centre-right): Obesity harms the life chances of too many children. Given the Minister’s encouragement earlier, will he join me in praising schools such as Lytchett Matravers Primary School, which has already set up a Daily Mile scheme, and encourage others to follow suit?
Backing Our Servicemen and Women — House of Commons, 2018-06-25
Topic: Defense
Ranil Malcolm Jayawardena (Conservative, Centre-right): I believe that the Government’s first duty is to keep us safe from those who would do us harm, whether here or abroad. Our fantastic servicemen and women sign up to do just that—to look after us—and in turn we ought to look after them. It therefore brings me no pleasure to present to the House this petition, which hundreds of people have signed, online and offline, in just one month. Those who have served our country are facing spurious and vexatious allegations. It must stop The petition states: The Humble Petition of Hampshire and the wider United Kingdom, Sheweth, That urgent action must be taken by HM Government to protect British Military veterans from spurious and vexatious historic allegations and repeated prosecutions Wherefore your Petitioners pray that your Honourable House urges HM Government to take all possible steps to immediately legislate for a Statute of Limitations that will prevent British Military veterans of the conflicts in Northern Ireland, the Falklands, the Balkans, Iraq, Afghanistan and other overseas combat operations suffering spurious and vexatious historic allegations and repeated prosecutions And your Petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray, &c [P002153]
Protection for British Service Personnel — House of Commons, 2018-06-25
Topic: Defense
Robert Alexander Courts (Conservative, Centre-right): Those who have protected us deserve in turn to be protected, to live their lives in peace with the full knowledge of their country’s gratitude, and to know that they will not be pursued in old age, and not be the subject of repeated prosecutions over events that occurred many years ago. This petition is signed by hundreds of the residents of West Oxfordshire. The first duty of any Government is to protect their people, but those who actually do the protecting must be assured of a peaceful retirement The petition states: The Petition of residents of West Oxfordshire, Declares that urgent action must be taken by the Government to protect British Military veterans from spurious historic allegations and repeated prosecutions. The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges HM Government to immediately legislate for the Statute of Limitations that will prevent British Military veterans of the conflicts in Northern Ireland, the Falklands, the Balkans, Iraq, Afghanistan and other overseas combat operations suffering spurious and vexatious historic allegations and repeated prosecutions And the petitioners remain, etc. [P002158]
Veterans and Soldiers: Statute of Limitations — House of Commons, 2018-06-25
Topic: Defense
Leo Docherty (Conservative, Centre-right): I rise to call for legislation to bring forward a statute of limitations to protect soldiers and veterans, in the knowledge that today is the first day of Armed Forces Week. This is a week in which we have an opportunity to celebrate the contribution that our armed forces make to all aspects of our society and our national security, but also to express our collective gratitude to the armed services. This gratitude is universally felt throughout our society, and I know that it is strongly felt in this Chamber. It is for that reason that, when we see instances of soldiers and veterans being mistreated by legal process, we cannot help feeling—as they do—a strong sense of betrayal.
Veterans and Soldiers: Statute of Limitations — House of Commons, 2018-06-25
Topic: Defense
Robert Alexander Stewart (Conservative, Centre-right): Speaking as someone who spent three years on operations in Northern Ireland, and on behalf of the men and women who served there, may I just say that it is about time that our Government sorted this matter out?
Veterans and Soldiers: Statute of Limitations — House of Commons, 2018-06-25
Topic: Defense
George Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative, Centre-right): I congratulate my hon. Friend on securing this debate. Like others, I served in Northern Ireland in the 1970s, and I know of many cases that could possibly be dragged forward and people who are waiting for that knock on the door. It is invidious. I did not go there because I wanted to. Like my colleagues, I went there because we were ordered to; we were there to protect the civilians from all the terrorism. Does he not think that this is poor reward for the hard work and dedication of the armed forces?
Veterans and Soldiers: Statute of Limitations — House of Commons, 2018-06-25
Topic: Defense
Leo Docherty (Conservative, Centre-right): I agree with the hon. Gentleman This is broader than only Northern Ireland. The House will be aware of the scandalous saga of legal pursuit in recent years of veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan. For example, 3,500 cases were brought before the Iraq Historic Allegations Team at a cost of £60 million to the taxpayer, resulting in no prosecutions. All those allegations were spurious. A case in point is the experience of Major Bob Campbell, who now faces his eighth investigation, despite having been cleared of any wrongdoing on numerous occasions.
Veterans and Soldiers: Statute of Limitations — House of Commons, 2018-06-25
Topic: Defense
Richard Benyon (Conservative, Centre-right): I congratulate my hon. Friend on securing this debate. Does he agree that this is a matter not just for veterans, for whom we rightly have concern, but for our armed forces of today and in the future? The impact that this could have, and is having, on recruitment and retention is palpable, as we know from those we know who are serving.
Veterans and Soldiers: Statute of Limitations — House of Commons, 2018-06-25
Topic: Defense
Leo Docherty (Conservative, Centre-right): Absolutely. This is not a matter of history: it is a matter of the here and now and of future deployments I have two simple proposals. The first is that the Ministry of Defence legislate for a statute of limitations, perhaps for 10 years, meaning that after 10 years, unless there is significant new evidence, no case can be brought against a veteran or soldier. Soldiers and veterans do not wish or seek to be above the law—they just seek natural justice. We must allow veterans to get on with their lives without the constant fear of that knock on the door and legal pursuit My second proposal is that we return our armed forces to the legal jurisdiction of the law of armed conflict and the Geneva convention. The intrusion of the European convention on human rights, which was taken into British domestic law in the form of the Human Rights Act 1998, set the scene for the legal scandal that was IHAT in the case of Iraq, and Op Northmoor in the case of Afghanistan. Although the Government should be commended for the way that they closed IHAT, hundreds of cases of a similar nature remain outstanding, with private law firms, that may be brought in the near future. IHAT will happen again unless we in this place change the legal jurisdiction of our armed forces.
Veterans and Soldiers: Statute of Limitations — House of Commons, 2018-06-25
Topic: Defense
Leo Docherty (Conservative, Centre-right): I am grateful for that intervention. I agree that the whole resolve of the Ministry of Defence and the legal capability of the Government must be brought to bear to find a legally viable route towards this, because it is, frankly, an issue of national security.
Veterans and Soldiers: Statute of Limitations — House of Commons, 2018-06-25
Topic: Defense
Ranil Malcolm Jayawardena (Conservative, Centre-right): I commend my hon. Friend and neighbour for securing this debate. Does he agree that ultimately there is a simple but important contract that must be honoured, which is that our servicemen and women, whether today or in years gone by, have served us and we should stand by them?
Veterans and Soldiers: Statute of Limitations — House of Commons, 2018-06-25
Topic: Defense
Victoria Grace Ford (Conservative, Centre-right): I congratulate my hon. Friend on this important debate. Having spent my young years in Northern Ireland, I remember how many times it was British armed forces who kept civilians safe. I am delighted to see so many Members here tonight. I do not want to turn this into a political issue, but is it not sad that half the Chamber is empty?
Veterans and Soldiers: Statute of Limitations — House of Commons, 2018-06-25
Topic: Defense
Leo Docherty (Conservative, Centre-right): I am grateful to my hon. Friend and I certainly agree What I am suggesting is not a new idea. As many hon. Members will know, the Conservative party manifesto of 2017 proposed exactly the same thing. On page 41, our manifesto stated: "We will protect our brave armed forces personnel from persistent legal claims, which distress those who risk our lives for us, cost the taxpayer millions, and undermine the armed forces in the service they give. Under a Conservative government, British troops will in future be subject to the Law of Armed Conflict, which includes the Geneva Convention and UK Service Law, not the European Court of Human Rights." We must deliver what we promised. This is a matter of individual justice, but it is also a matter of national security. I regard it as a strategic necessity. How on earth can we deploy military force abroad with resolve if we are in any way doubtful, thinking that the Government may subsequently be challenged legally and that individuals serving on those operations may face legal pursuit?
Veterans and Soldiers: Statute of Limitations — House of Commons, 2018-06-25
Topic: Defense
James Stephen Heappey (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend is absolutely right. This is not just about recruitment and retention, as important as those are. It is about the confidence to pull the trigger and apply lethal force, using one’s judgment, and having the confidence that the Government will not come after people years later. It is about current operational capability.
Veterans and Soldiers: Statute of Limitations — House of Commons, 2018-06-25
Topic: Defense
Leo Docherty (Conservative, Centre-right): I agree entirely with my hon. and gallant Friend. This is a strategic necessity, and it guards against the wholesale enfeeblement of our capacity to deploy military power abroad and to execute with resolve our foreign policy and our security policy I seek humbly from the Minister two things: first, confirmation that urgent action will be taken by the Ministry of Defence on bringing forward a statute of limitations; and secondly, confirmation that the Government will fulfil their manifesto pledge and ensure that, when troops deploy abroad on combat operations in the future, they come under the law of armed conflict and the Geneva convention.
Veterans and Soldiers: Statute of Limitations — House of Commons, 2018-06-25
Topic: Defense
Mark Gino Francois (Conservative, Centre-right): I congratulate my hon. Friend on securing this very important debate. I note that, by rough count, there are some 50 Members in the Chamber this evening, which shows the strength of feeling on this issue. I am also pleased to see the Secretary of State for Defence in his place on the Front Bench The Defence Committee, on which my hon. Friend and I both serve, has now agreed to look into this complex issue. If the Committee can find a way through this legal minefield, does my hon. Friend agree that Ministers—bearing in mind the manifesto commitment—would be morally obliged to take notice and act on it?
Veterans and Soldiers: Statute of Limitations — House of Commons, 2018-06-25
Topic: Defense
Leo Docherty (Conservative, Centre-right): I commend my right hon. Friend for his knowledge of the subject and agree entirely with his point. We must show resolve, and the Ministry of Defence must deploy its whole effort to find a legally viable path to fulfil our collective manifesto pledge In conclusion, I would like to reflect on the damaging impact that the issue has on the morale and trust of those who have served and continue to serve. I have had a lot of correspondence on this subject, as one would expect, because of the petition and this debate. I am alarmed by the number of conversations I have had that involve the use of the word "betrayal", but what alarms me more is when senior non-commissioned officers and officers who have served dozens of years all around the world in the most intensive and brutal operational environments tell me, after a lifetime of service, that on no account will they let their children serve as they have done. That pains me deeply Fundamentally, this is a matter of trust. It is about the Government fulfilling their duty of care to their soldiers, and it is about us collectively repaying the trust our soldiers have in us.
Leaving the EU: Backstop Proposal — House of Commons, 2018-09-05
Topic: Defense
Karen Anne Bradley (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. and gallant Friend has great experience from his time in Northern Ireland, and I am sure he knows how difficult it was to police that border. Some 30,000 military and police personnel were unable to close the border, so I do not think that anybody should expect us to see a hard border today. However, I would be very happy to have a conversation with him about technology so that we can really explore all that.