argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
Points of Order — House of Commons, 2019-10-08
Topic: Law and Crime
Lindsay Harvey Hoyle (Labour, Centre-left): I thank the hon. Lady for giving me notice of her question. The matter she raises is not a matter for me in the Chair today, but I know that the responsible Ministers in the Home Office have absolutely heard what you have to say. I am sure the Home Office will be taking that on board. Once again, I know that you, through your good offices, and colleagues of your good self will ensure that, when we return on Monday, this matter will be raised again.
Exiting the European Union (Plant Health) — House of Commons, 2019-10-08
Topic: Agriculture
Susan Elan Jones (Labour, Centre-left): I have a quick question for the Minister. Many of us are very concerned about regulated plant material coming in from third countries via the EU. What will happen with the checking? Many of us are very concerned about what this could mean in terms of pests and diseases?
Exiting the European Union (Plant Health) — House of Commons, 2019-10-08
Topic: Transportation
Luke Pollard (Labour, Centre-left): Briefly on that point, in an SI Committee in which we talked about checking air freight, a Minister mentioned containerisation, but did not mention any containers coming via a rail link. Given what the Minister has said today, can she say whether that includes any freight that comes via rail?
Exiting the European Union (Environmental Protection) — House of Commons, 2019-10-08
Topic: Environment
James Dolan Cunningham (Labour, Centre-left): I congratulate the hon. Gentleman. This is the first time I have taken part in a debate when he has been at the Dispatch Box. There have been reports about some of this country’s traditional species either disappearing or dropping in number. What are we doing to encourage the growth of those species, given climate change? They are naturally species for the climate of this country.
Baby Loss Awareness Week — House of Commons, 2019-10-08
Topic: Social Welfare
James Dolan Cunningham (Labour, Centre-left): I identify with everything the Minister has said so far. One point about these debates for members of the public who have not experienced baby loss, and for some Members here, is what we learn about the heartbreak and, in some instances, the lack of support. In general terms, it has been very good to have these debates—even if we do have them annually—because they educate the public about an issue that has too often been shoved under the carpet, for want of a better term. It is better that people now understand what other people go through in life, so I do appreciate the Minister’s opening remarks.
Baby Loss Awareness Week — House of Commons, 2019-10-08
Topic: Law and Crime
Carolyn Harris (Labour, Centre-left): Will the hon. Lady join me in this poignant debate in saying how dreadfully sorry we all are that, on 27 September in Bronzefield women’s prison, a baby was born and died? We know no more than that at the moment, but it seems appropriate in this debate that we pay our respects to that baby and their mam.
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.
Richard Haines Burden (Labour, Centre-left): I do not get any sense from the Secretary of State that he intends to implement the decisions of this House in ruling out no deal. What would his response be to Rod McKenzie of the Road Haulage Association, who only this week said this of his experience of Ministers in relation to what he describes as the "clear and present" threat of no deal: "What we need is action, and we need action now. And there’s this gap between what they say they’re going to do, and what they have so far failed to deliver" When will we see delivery from this Government? When will the Government even meet unions representing drivers to discuss their real fears about the impact of a no-deal Brexit on drivers’ hours and safety?
Exports: No Deal — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Agriculture
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.
Hilary James Benn (Labour, Centre-left): About 3 million wooden pallets are used every month to transport goods, including food, between the UK and the EU. After a no-deal Brexit, those wooden pallets will no longer be able to be used unless they have been heat treated or fumigated. Can the Secretary of State give the House an assurance, because this is absolutely about the supply of food, that there are sufficient pallets available to the companies that keep our food supplies moving?
Visa-free Travel — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Foreign Trade
Questions: What plans the Government have to negotiate visa-free travel between the UK and the EU for short visits after the UK leaves the EU.; What plans the Government have to negotiate visa-free travel between the UK and the EU for short visits after the UK leaves the EU.
Barry John Sheerman (Labour, Centre-left): Is the ministerial team aware that my constituency of Huddersfield, where I come from, is, like that of the hon. Member for Calder Valley (Craig Whittaker), the centre and heart of manufacturing in this country? We must be mobile and be able to visit places. People in the manufacturing centre of Huddersfield, and the university, are absolutely appalled by what might happen if there is a no-deal Brexit. We need access to our markets and to travel, and we believe it will be the end of the world if we crash out without a deal.
No Deal — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: International Affairs
Matthew Thomas Pennycook (Labour, Centre-left): The Secretary of State has said once again that the new Administration want to secure a deal, rather than leave without one, yet we know that no new concrete proposals have been presented to the EU. It has been reported that in the technical talks that took place yesterday between the UK’s chief negotiator and EU Commission officials, the UK team made it clear that the Government want to jettison the level playing field provisions contained in the withdrawal agreement. Will the Secretary of State confirm that removing those provisions is now the Government’s preference?
No Deal — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: International Affairs
Matthew Thomas Pennycook (Labour, Centre-left): There was no answer there on the level playing field provisions. I am not sure why the Secretary of State is so reluctant to confirm that regulatory divergence from the EU, rather than alignment with it, is what the Government want to achieve. After all, as he mentioned, in the Prime Minister’s letter to Donald Tusk on 19 August that was for him "the point" of our exit. We have gone from Canada plus plus plus to Canada minus minus with barely a mention and no debate in this House. Let me ask the Secretary of State this simple question: will the Government now come clean with the British public about the fact that far from maintaining workers’ rights, Ministers want the freedom to chip away at them and environmental protections and consumer standards?
Ethanol Imports: Tariff Schedule — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Foreign Trade
Questions: What plans the Government have to publish a tariff schedule for ethanol imports in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.
Anna Catherine Turley (Labour, Centre-left): I appreciate the Secretary of State’s response and the letter I received from the Department for International Trade this morning, but in the meetings we had with the Department we were told that biofuels would not be covered by the protection tariffs. Ensus in my constituency tells me that the fear of a no-deal Brexit is already harming business. We know that a no-deal Brexit without tariff protection will kill British biofuels, end jobs and leave us relying on imports. Will the Secretary of State commit to working with his colleagues to maintain tariff protection on ethanol before it is too late?
Business Preparedness — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Foreign Trade
Questions: What recent discussions he has had with business groups to help ensure that they are prepared to leave the EU on 31 October 2019.
Thangam Elizabeth Rachel Debbonaire (Labour, Centre-left): What information can the Minister give us about what preparation has been done—what proactive contact his Department has made—with businesses that may not trade directly with Europe but whose supply chains or customers do so, and who therefore may not have availed themselves of the Government web pages?
Policing and Security — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Law and Crime
Questions: What recent discussions he has had with the Home Secretary on the effect on policing and security of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.; What recent discussions he has had with the Home Secretary on the effect on policing and security of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.
Adrian Edward Bailey (Labour, Centre-left): Under a no-deal Brexit, UK police would lose access to 40 enforcement tools, including the European arrest warrant and access to European information databases, which are vital for identifying international terrorists and criminals who could be targeting this country. Can the Minister explain how that is assisting us to take back control of our borders?
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Law and Crime
Louise Margaret Haigh (Labour, Centre-left): If I was still a serving police officer and I arrested a European national who, unbeknown to me, was wanted for a string of serious violent sexual offences, at the moment I would simply have to access a database on booking him into custody in order to find that out. Will the Secretary of State spell out in detail how I or my custody sergeant would do that if we were to leave without a deal on 31 October?
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: International Affairs
Questions: When we leave the EU, with or without a deal, will my right hon. Friend confirm that the provision of medicines into the UK will remain uninterrupted?
Keir Starmer (Labour, Centre-left): I want to ask specifically about the important issue of Northern Ireland. Will the Secretary of State confirm that the Government remain fully committed to all the existing elements of the December 2017 joint report between the UK and the EU negotiators? Yes or no?
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: International Affairs
Questions: When we leave the EU, with or without a deal, will my right hon. Friend confirm that the provision of medicines into the UK will remain uninterrupted?
Keir Starmer (Labour, Centre-left): I asked a careful question, and I got a careful answer, which did not confirm full commitment, so let me press on. It has been reported this week that EU member states were told by the European Commission that the UK Government were proposing to reduce the ambitions of the 2017 joint report relating to Northern Ireland—not the Good Friday agreement, but the 2017 joint report. In particular, it has been reported that the UK is rowing back from the "legally operable" solutions to avoiding a hard border to what has been described as "aspirational" measures—that is quite specific. The pledge now is only to have trade across the Irish border that is "as frictionless as possible"—again, a difference. These are important issues, and I know that there has been a bit of knockabout this morning, but this is of huge importance across Ireland. Will the Secretary of State take this opportunity to reject those reports and make it clear that there will be no rowing back from the solemn commitments made two years ago in the 2017 joint report?
HS2 — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Transportation
Andrew Joseph McDonald (Labour, Centre-left): I too congratulate the Secretary of State on his appointment and welcome him to his place. He comes into post at a time of crisis for the country, but at an absolutely critical moment for HS2 I gently remind the Secretary of State that we did ask for regular reports and recommended a peer review when phase 2a was before the House some weeks ago. I am sorry that he was not able to vote for that—or, indeed, that the Prime Minister was not able to express a view at all The Secretary of State mentioned that the review that is under way is a cross-party one, but I gently point out that there has been no consultation whatever with me. If it is to be genuinely cross-party, perhaps he might want to take up that invitation We have consistently been told by the Secretary of State’s predecessor and the then ministerial team that the 2015 figure of £55.7 billion for the entire project was the full cost of HS2 and that there was no reason to change it. It is hard to conclude anything other than that it has been plain and obvious for some considerable time that this was not accurate. Will the Transport Secretary tell us when his predecessor was told that the figure of £55.7 billion was not accurate or sustainable, and when he was first told that the timetable for delivery could not be adhered to Is this not yet more evidence that this Government have totally failed to exercise any control over the project—not just over costs, but with regard to redundancy payments and key appointments that transpired to be unsustainable? In addition, when the contracts for phase 1 were being granted, despite hedge fund managers making a packet out of the inevitable demise of Carillion, this Tory Government crashed on regardless, awarding the doomed organisation a valuable HS2 contract It is beyond doubt that the Government have been totally incompetent and reckless, but, worse than that, there hangs over this Government the unpleasant smell that Parliament may have been misled—however unwittingly—given that it is stark staringly obvious that when the Minister responsible for HS2 stood at the Dispatch Box a matter of weeks ago to tell the House that there was only one figure and one figure alone for HS2 that assertion was completely and totally inaccurate. If there is going to be delay, what assurances can the Secretary of State give to the 9,000 people currently employed by HS2 This Government continue to be characterised by a lack of transparency. I welcome the Secretary of State’s remarks that he intends to put that right, but it still remains, as does a lack of candour. Once we can be assured that there is no prospect of the Government reneging on the legislation to avoid a no-deal Brexit, Labour relishes the prospect of a general election to turf them out.
HS2 — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Transportation
Lilian Rachel Greenwood (Labour, Centre-left): I welcome the Secretary of State to his place The Secretary of State must understand the huge disappointment in the east midlands that HS2 phase 2b —which will, as the right hon. Member for Derbyshire Dales (Sir Patrick McLoughlin) said, transform connectivity between Birmingham and the economies of the midlands, Yorkshire, the north-east and Scotland—is now facing a delay of up to seven years, or even cancellation. That is particularly the case when the Chancellor failed to even mention the midlands rail hub in his spending review, and when the Secretary of State’s predecessor not only repeatedly assured us that HS2 would happen but cancelled the electrification of the midland main line. I know that the Oakervee review is due to report, but the disappointment will turn to deep anger if the Secretary of State does not ensure that the midlands receives the investment in its transport that it needs.
HS2 — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Transportation
Barry John Sheerman (Labour, Centre-left): I will try to be brief, Mr Speaker. I have always been against this. I was reviled by Ministers when I said that the cost would end up at £100 billion. I wanted the investment in a network across the north of England in preference to this. Will the Secretary of State assure me that we will learn the lessons? This is a great sector that we do wonderful things in. We built the Olympics on time, and it was magnificent. I understand that there are 12 gagging orders for senior former employees of HS2 Ltd. Can they give evidence to this inquiry, and can we ensure that we learn the lessons? We are good in this sector, so why has this gone wrong?
HS2 — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Transportation
Dennis Edward Skinner (Labour, Centre-left): Unlike Derbyshire Dales, HS2 goes through many villages in the Bolsover and north-east Derbyshire area. The result is that there are a lot of people in those villages—more than 100—affected by HS2. I want to know as soon as possible just exactly what is going to happen to this £100 billion project. It goes through Derbyshire on two separate lines. Not only does it go past Sheffield; it also stops at a Sheffield station, so there is a slow track and a fast track in Derbyshire. The idea that HS2 is based upon getting to London 30 minutes sooner is a joke and, for that reason, the Secretary of State should start over again.
HS2 — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Macroeconomics
Liam Dominic Byrne (Labour, Centre-left): Inflation aside, this multi-billion increase in cost betrays nothing other than sheer incompetence in the management of this project. In the west midlands, 100,000 jobs are now in jeopardy; hundreds of millions of pounds of new rates are now in jeopardy; and the future prospects of the younger generation are now in jeopardy. I want to know from the Secretary of State what compensation has been sought by the Mayor of the West Midlands, because my understanding is that he has asked for precisely nothing?
HS2 — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Transportation
Yvette Cooper (Labour, Centre-left): Will the Government widen this review not just to their complete lack of grip on the HS2 project, but to the continued failure of the Department to remember that there are towns as well as cities in this country? It is continually locking billions of pounds into ever-delayed, ever-escalating projects for cities, while towns such as Castleford and Pontefract have inadequate trains—overcrowded, old Pacer trains, with no disabled access to our trains—and, once again, we are just expected to accept a trickle-down of benefits many decades into the future. It is not good enough. When will we actually get a fair deal for our towns?
HS2 — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Transportation
Clive James Charles Betts (Labour, Centre-left): Given the delays to the southern section of the route, will the Secretary of State ask the review to consider the possibility of starting the northern sections before the southern section is finished, so that there is a degree of working overlap?
HS2 — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Transportation
John Robert Cryer (Labour, Centre-left): Are there not many abandoned former railway lines across the country for which, for the first time in a long time, there is now extensive demand? Those could be reopened for a fraction of the cost of HS2.
HS2 — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Transportation
Jeffrey Smith (Labour, Centre-left): HS2 is vital for the economy of Manchester and the north. As the chairman’s stocktake says: "HS2 is not a standalone railway but rather an integral part of ambitious regional growth plans," and it is already attracting investment. Will the Secretary of State assure us that those wider benefits will fully be taken into account in this review?
HS2 — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Transportation
Diana Ruth Johnson (Labour, Centre-left): The key rail investment in the north has to be a high-speed link between Liverpool in the west and Hull in the east. Is it not right that any additional resources should be put into that, rather than HS2?
HS2 — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Transportation
David Drew (Labour, Centre-left): The problem with HS2 is that the benefits are not shared around the country. The west, in particular, gains nothing. Will the Secretary of State look at how we could put the money into electrification and rebuilding the Severn tunnel?
HS2 — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Macroeconomics
Laura Smith (Labour, Centre-left): Given that the entire review will be completed in a matter of weeks, can the Secretary of State really have confidence that it will have thoroughly considered the impacts that scrapping or changing phases 2a and 2b would have on Crewe and Nantwich, as a significant centre of economic activity for the wider region?
HS2 — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Transportation
Paul John Sweeney (Labour, Centre-left): The Secretary of State mentions the extension to Scotland. However, journey times between Glasgow and Manchester will increase as a result of HS2. Will he ask the review to consider expediting an extension north to Glasgow from Manchester as a matter of urgency?
Northern Ireland — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: International Affairs
David George Hanson (Labour, Centre-left): In the absence of a Stormont Government, and in view of the potential difficulties arising from no deal, will the Secretary of State clarify who will make decisions during that period, and tell us what discussions he has had both with the political parties and the Irish Government about the implications of direct rule?
Northern Ireland — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: International Affairs
Ruth Lorraine Jones (Labour, Centre-left): We heard from the hon. Member for North Down (Lady Hermon) yesterday about the Prime Minister’s failure, to date, to meet the Taoiseach, so what engagement on Prorogation has there been with the Irish Government in their capacity as co-guarantors under the Good Friday agreement?
Northern Ireland — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Government Operations
Anthony Joseph Lloyd (Labour, Centre-left): Thank you, Mr Speaker. The Secretary of State was very candid in his admission that he was not consulted about Prorogation. Important decisions have to be made about Northern Ireland’s governance over this period. Can we have a clear statement, perhaps from the Prime Minister, that there will be time, either before Prorogation or at a convenient time for this House, to give the Secretary of State the power to do the things that Northern Ireland needs?
Girls’ Education — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Education
Stephen Twigg (Labour, Centre-left): I congratulate the Secretary of State on his appointment to this important role in Government. I welcome very warmly both his statement and the commitment the UK made at the G7 to Education Cannot Wait. Clearly, we need other donors to rise to the challenge in the way the UK has. What will he be doing over the next few weeks to ensure that the full replenishment of Education Cannot Wait is achieved, so that children living as refugees get the education that they deserve?
Girls’ Education — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Education
Chinyelu Susan Onwurah (Labour, Centre-left): As chair of the all-party group on Africa and of the all-party group on diversity and inclusion in science, technology, engineering and maths, I wholly welcome this emphasis on women and education, just as I condemn the Prime Minister’s past remarks when he implied that women went into higher education to find husbands. As well as the emphasis on women in STEM, will the Secretary of State say what he is doing to ensure that period poverty is not a barrier to continued attendance at schools in developing countries, an issue that was investigated by the all-party group on Africa ?
Girls’ Education — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Education
Christian John Patrick Matheson (Labour, Centre-left): I welcome this statement. When I go on "Send My Friend to School" visits in Chester, girls’ education is always the No. 1 issue raised with me by British schoolchildren. However, will the Secretary of State confirm that, if we do not get right nutrition and healthcare as part as the package that supports education, that could damage education for girls? It is about getting the whole picture right.