argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
Covid-19: Winter Plan — House of Commons, 2020-11-23
Topic: Mixed Topics
Matthew John David Hancock (Conservative, Centre-right): Yes, we will publish the statistics that we look at to make the judgments that my hon. Friend refers to. It is not possible to put a specific number on it, though, because there are a number of criteria. We would not want to put an area into lockdown—a higher tier, more accurately—because it triggered numerical criteria if there was a specific reason. For instance, there has been a very significant outbreak at a barracks in the past month, which meant that it looked like that area had a huge spike, but it was entirely—literally—confined to barracks. Therefore, an element of judgment is important in making these decisions, but we will publish the data on which they are taken. My hon. Friend asked about the economic impact assessment, and I will raise that point with my right hon. Friend the Chancellor.
Covid-19: Winter Plan — House of Commons, 2020-11-23
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Karl McCartney (Conservative, Centre-right): As the Prime Minister said, 2020 has been a difficult year, and unfortunately, freelancers and directors of limited companies in Lincoln and across the UK have had a particularly hard year, with many of them receiving next to no financial support from the Government yet. While today’s announcements are welcome and we are moving in a positive direction, many will still have to wait several months before small businesses can return to some form of normality. Will my right hon. Friend urge his close friend the Chancellor to provide grant funding for those individuals and businesses? Local authorities can and will step in to provide this funding on a case-by-case basis, and to finance that, we can seek the repayment of taxpayer funding from the supermarkets, which have clearly misused taxpayer support that they do not need. Will he back the Blue Collar Conservative campaign and right this wrong?
Covid-19: Winter Plan — House of Commons, 2020-11-23
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Harriett Mary Morison Baldwin (Conservative, Centre-right): I heard the Secretary of State say some welcome things about sport. Given the importance of maintaining fitness to the ability to deal with this illness, can he confirm whether people will be able to go to indoor swimming pools and play golf?
Covid-19: Winter Plan — House of Commons, 2020-11-23
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Kate Elizabeth Kniveton (Conservative, Centre-right): So many businesses and jobs in my constituency are based in pubs and the brewing industry, which are not set up to provide food and without further support will struggle to make it through December. May I ask the Prime Minister, through my right hon. Friend, to ensure that any support provided to wet pubs also includes the wider brewing industry, which will also be seeing a significant decrease in trade?
Covid-19: Winter Plan — House of Commons, 2020-11-23
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Matthew John David Hancock (Conservative, Centre-right): Yes, of course. Everybody knows that Burton is inescapably linked to high-quality beer; anyone who has been to Burton knows that fact. My heart goes out to the hospitality industry, which has been hit so hard. Of course schemes are available nationally, including the furlough and the support for businesses. There has been more support for the hospitality, leisure and accommodation businesses, and there will be cash grants for businesses that are closed under the new tiering system, to try to support people through what are, inevitably, very difficult times.
Covid-19: Winter Plan — House of Commons, 2020-11-23
Topic: Mixed Topics
Abimbola Afolami (Conservative, Centre-right): Does the Prime Minister agree about the importance of sport and exercise to both mental and physical wellbeing? Will he confirm that going forward into the winter, facilities for outdoor sport and indoor swimming should remain open in all tiers?
Covid-19: Winter Plan — House of Commons, 2020-11-23
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend is absolutely right about the vital importance of sport. I can tell him that even in my current confinement, I am taking whatever exercise I can—mainly on a treadmill, I am afraid. He is totally right. We will ensure that gyms, leisure centres and swimming pools are open in all tiers and that organised sport can resume.
Covid-19: Winter Plan — House of Commons, 2020-11-23
Topic: Mixed Topics
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): Like many of us, I have spent happy hours in the Blackpool Tower ballroom, and I know it well. It would be a fine thing to see Blackpool open up again as fast as possible. I repeat the answer I gave a moment ago: we cannot say yet what the tiering will be, but mass testing does offer a route forward for Blackpool and all its attractions—illuminations included.
Covid-19: Winter Plan — House of Commons, 2020-11-23
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): The local authorities have been given about £4.6 billion so far to support them through the pandemic and to help them to support hard-hit businesses in their areas, and that is on top of the investment that we have made in the VAT cuts—the business rate cuts—right the way through to next year. Altogether, it is about a £200 billion package of support. The whole point of coming out into the tiers now, or next week, is to allow small businesses to get going again. It was awful to have the restrictions that we have had. We hope that we will be able to take them off and keep them off, but clearly that depends on everybody doing their bit.
Covid-19: Winter Plan — House of Commons, 2020-11-23
Topic: Other
Eleanor Fulton Laing (Conservative, Centre-right): May I make a plea to all Members to be as brief as the right hon. Member for New Forest West (Sir Desmond Swayne)? After two hours, we are not even halfway through the number of people who are hoping to ask a question. I remind people that they are not making speeches; they are asking questions—brief questions—and they should not read them. I am quite sure that I can rely on the hon. Member for Rhondda (Chris Bryant).
Covid-19: Winter Plan — House of Commons, 2020-11-23
Topic: Mixed Topics
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): This is a matter for the Welsh Labour Government in Wales to deal with, but I understand the fundamental inability of the Welsh Labour Government to deal with so many matters that concern the people of Rhondda, and we will do what we can to address the hon. Gentleman’s point.
Covid-19: Winter Plan — House of Commons, 2020-11-23
Topic: Other
Eleanor Fulton Laing (Conservative, Centre-right): While the Prime Minister computes what that question actually was, I should point out that the hon. Gentleman—I am being kind to him, because he is an hon. Gentleman—had two questions. I am not allowing any more two questions; it is one question, not a speech, or we will be here all day. Of course, some people want to be.
Covid-19: Winter Plan — House of Commons, 2020-11-23
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Richard John Holden (Conservative, Centre-right): I welcome the changes today for gyms, God and golf, opening in all tiers, but will the Prime Minister confirm that the hospitality sector, forced to close in tier 2 and tier 3 areas, will continue to receive grant support in the future?
Covid-19: Winter Plan — House of Commons, 2020-11-23
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Robert Henry Halfon (Conservative, Centre-right): I strongly support what the Prime Minister has said today. He will know that despite the strong financial support for businesses, many businesses in my constituency of Harlow have really struggled. Therefore, as well as paying tribute to Harlow’s small businesses, may I urge him to ensure that he takes into consideration the really tough—sometimes devastating—effects on small businesses in future decisions on covid?
Covid-19: Winter Plan — House of Commons, 2020-11-23
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank my right hon. Friend for what he does to champion small businesses in Harlow. They are the backbone of our economy, which is why the Government have done everything we can to keep businesses going, including through the furlough system, the grants of £3,000 per month for businesses forced to close, and backdated grants for businesses in tiers 2 and 3 that have been affected by reduced demand. I mentioned earlier the support for businesses through local authorities. That is about £1.1 billion of the £4.6 billion. He will have heard me mention many times the reductions in business rates and VAT that will go on until next year, and plenty of schemes with loans and grants to help small business. I have no doubt that that investment will be repaid by growth and dynamism next year as those businesses bounce back.
Covid-19: Winter Plan — House of Commons, 2020-11-23
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Alun Hugh Cairns (Conservative, Centre-right): The Prime Minister has given a clear policy direction, together with the rationale behind the changes about to be introduced. People will be particularly pleased that spectators can return to sporting events. Will he share the scientific evidence and thinking behind this with the Welsh Government, in the hope that my constituents can benefit from the same privileges that will be available in England?
Covid-19: Winter Plan — House of Commons, 2020-11-23
Topic: Mixed Topics
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Gentleman will have to forgive me; I think that was a request to meet him. I am very happy to ensure that his request is taken up at the appropriate ministerial level. I think his question was about support for those who have suffered during lockdown. I am more than happy to do what I can to help.
Covid-19: Winter Plan — House of Commons, 2020-11-23
Topic: Mixed Topics
Daniel Rayne Kruger (Conservative, Centre-right): A localised tiered approach is definitely the best way forward, and in Wiltshire, we very much look forward to going back into what I hope will be the lowest level of restrictions. Will my right hon. Friend commit to publishing very clear indicators so that local leaders know what they need to do in order to exit down the tiers and eventually get out of the restrictions altogether?
Covid-19: Winter Plan — House of Commons, 2020-11-23
Topic: Mixed Topics
James Sunderland (Conservative, Centre-right): International travel is vital for our recovery, not least in the aviation, hospitality, leisure and business sectors. Has the Prime Minister given any thought to the utility of having vaccination stamps in passports, or an equivalent scheme, to get our planes off the ground?
Covid-19: Winter Plan — House of Commons, 2020-11-23
Topic: Other
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): I am very happy to do so, Madam Deputy Speaker, but I just do not want to short-change colleagues. As I was banished by telecommunications from your presence, I do not want people to think that I am trying to nickel and dime them here.
Covid-19: Winter Plan — House of Commons, 2020-11-23
Topic: Other
Eleanor Fulton Laing (Conservative, Centre-right): It is much more difficult for the Prime Minister as he cannot feel the atmosphere here in the Chamber, so it is better that I explain to him that both his Secretary of State and the Leader of the Opposition look as if they agree with the point that I have just made.
Covid-19: Winter Plan — House of Commons, 2020-11-23
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Paul John Holmes (Conservative, Centre-right): I welcome the Prime Minister’s statement and the clarity that he has given, but there are four independent tap shop and breweries in my constituency that have gone through a terrible time with being allowed to sell only takeaways very late in the day. Will he and the Chancellor look at extending business rate relief to these businesses and giving bespoke new grants to this industry?
Covid-19: Winter Plan — House of Commons, 2020-11-23
Topic: Mixed Topics
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): Care homes should follow their own instincts about the wellbeing of their residents. They should follow all the procedures that we have set out and make use of lateral flow testing and other types of protection to ensure that people can see their loved ones and hug them. That is what the people of this country want and that many families across this country want to see. That is what this Government are providing for.
Covid-19: Winter Plan — House of Commons, 2020-11-23
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Benjamin David Bradley (Conservative, Centre-right): Nottinghamshire went into tier 3 just a few days before the national lockdown, but it was a very stressful few days for the beauty industry in Nottinghamshire, which was uniquely forced to close, unlike in any other tier 3 area in the country. Given that the premise of the tiered regional system was to have consistent and fair restrictions in each tier across the country, will the Prime Minister assure me that he will seek to avoid those kinds of irregularities under the new restrictions to avoid the upset felt by beauticians and make sure it is fair for small businesses?
Covid-19: Winter Plan — House of Commons, 2020-11-23
Topic: Domestic Commerce
David Anthony Evennett (Conservative, Centre-right): Families and businesses in Bexleyheath and Crayford will share my strong support for my right hon. Friend’s statement and approach today. However, we have a thriving hospitality sector that has particularly suffered this year because of the necessary restrictions to control the spread of coronavirus. While safety remains the top priority, does my right hon. Friend agree that the hospitality sector is the backbone of our local town centres, and it is vital we continue to provide it with the support it needs to help them survive and to protect jobs?
Covid-19: Winter Plan — House of Commons, 2020-11-23
Topic: Civil Rights
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): I think I might quarrel with the hon. Member’s description of a broken land and a broken people, because I think actually the people of this country have shown fantastic resilience. I do not think that they or we are broken; I think that we are going to come back very strongly. I also think that churches play an enormous part in that, and I am glad that they are going to be reopening from next week.
Covid-19: Winter Plan — House of Commons, 2020-11-23
Topic: Mixed Topics
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend is absolutely right to pay tribute to the work of those remarkable staff for what they did to allow Remembrance Sunday commemorations to go ahead and allow people to attend them. I thank them personally, and I thank all care home staff for the unbelievable service they have given and continue to give.
Covid-19: Winter Plan — House of Commons, 2020-11-23
Topic: Other
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): What I can certainly say is that it does not help to read about confidential discussions in the papers. I must say that a lot of the stuff I have read seems to be very wide of the mark, but I am grateful to all colleagues in the DAs for the co-operation that they are showing in the work we are doing together.
Covid-19: Winter Plan — House of Commons, 2020-11-23
Topic: Other
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): I very much hope that we will have a united approach to Christmas. I think that is what the people of this country want. I repeat that there is much more that unites us than divides us on these issues, which matter so greatly to the hearts of everybody in our country. We are working together and will, I think, come up with a good solution.
Covid-19: Winter Plan — House of Commons, 2020-11-23
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Jason McCartney (Conservative, Centre-right): Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. With a case rate of 552 per 100,000 and the sixth highest case rate in England, many people expect Kirklees to be in the highest tier when the announcement is made on Thursday. That will mean the closure of hospitality, apart from takeaways, at a time of year when many cafés, bars, pubs and restaurants try to make profits to see them through the rest of the year. Can I end this session by asking the Prime Minister one more time: please will he speak to the Chancellor again about support for the hospitality supply chain and for breweries and cider producers; will they look again at grant funding; and will they please consider once again cancelling business rates for another year to support our hospitality businesses?
Covid-19: Winter Plan — House of Commons, 2020-11-23
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend makes a passionate plea for breweries, cider producers and others. I know that my right hon. Friend the Chancellor will be listening keenly to all of that, particularly the points about business rates and other measures. We want to support the hospitality industry in Kirklees and across the country.
Points of Order — House of Commons, 2020-11-23
Topic: Mixed Topics
Eleanor Fulton Laing (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Gentleman’s point is not a point of order for the Chair, because the Chair does not have responsibility for what Ministers say or write—or do not say or write —but I nevertheless understand his purpose in raising his point of order in the Chamber at this moment. I can say to him, as Mr Speaker has said on many occasions, that Ministers ought to reply to questions and letters from Members of Parliament in a timely fashion, and the saga that he has just described is not acceptable. Although I cannot deal with this from the Chair as a point before the Chamber now, I can say that I hope the matter has been noted by those on the Treasury Bench and hopefully also by the Leader of the House’s office, and that the hon. Gentleman will receive his answer soon.
Business without Debate — House of Commons, 2020-11-23
Topic: Mixed Topics
Nigel Martin Evans (Conservative, Centre-right): With the leave of the House, we will take motions 6 to 15 together Motion made, and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 118(6)), Exiting the European Union (Patents) That the draft Supplementary Protection Certificates (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020, which were laid before this House on 14 October, be approved Exiting the European Union (Environmental Protection) That the draft Ozone-Depleting Substances and Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020, which were laid before this House on 13 October, be approved That the draft Hazardous Substances and Packaging (Legislative Functions and Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020, which were laid before this House on 14 October, be approved Exiting the European Union (Sea Fisheries) That the draft Common Fisheries Policy (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020, which were laid before this House on 14 October, be approved Mental Health That the draft Coronavirus Act 2020 (Expiry of Mental Health Provisions) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020, which were laid before this House on 21 October, be approved Financial Services and Markets That the draft Bearer Certificates (Collective Investment Schemes) Regulations 2020, which were laid before this House on 28 September, be approved Exiting the European Union (Financial Services) That the draft Financial Holding Companies (Approval etc.) and Capital Requirements (Capital Buffers and Macro-prudential Measures) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020, which were laid before this House on 15 October, be approved Exiting the European Union (Financial Services and Markets) That the draft Securities Financing Transactions, Securitisation and Miscellaneous Amendments (EU Exit) Regulations 2020, which were laid before this House on 15 October, be approved Financial Services and Markets That the draft Bank Recovery and Resolution (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020, which were laid before this House on 15 October, be approved. Exiting the European Union (Criminal Law) That the draft Law Enforcement and Security (Separation Issues etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020, which were laid before this House on 13 October, be approved.—(David Rutley.) Question agreed to.
Persecution of Ahmadis — House of Commons, 2020-11-23
Topic: Civil Rights
Imran Nasir Ahmad Khan (Conservative, Centre-right): I am an Ahmadi—an Ahmadi Muslim. Ahmadis are a peace-loving community, whose motto is "Love for all, hatred for none". At the core of Islam is a belief that the only true way to serve the Lord is to serve and love his creation. It is for this reason that Ahmadis devote themselves to serving the cause of justice and humanity everywhere. Sadly, however, the Ahmadiyya Muslim community is an object of hate and suffers vicious persecution around the world. The epicentre of this hatred is Pakistan.
Persecution of Ahmadis — House of Commons, 2020-11-23
Topic: Civil Rights
Imran Nasir Ahmad Khan (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank the hon. Lady. The tragic news of Dr Tahir and his murder was on Friday evening. A gunman came to their home and shot at him and his family. He sadly died immediately. His father, I understand, is still in a critical condition, fighting for his life. Other members of the family sustained gunshot injuries. I understand they are believed to be making it through. But this is simply a sad testament to the environment of hate and intolerance that is being preached in Pakistan This is what I was saying: the Ahmadiyya Muslim community is an object of hate and suffers vicious persecution around the world, but the epicentre of this hatred is Pakistan, where Ahmadis are the only religious community to be targeted by the state on the basis of their faith.
Persecution of Ahmadis — House of Commons, 2020-11-23
Topic: Civil Rights
Imran Nasir Ahmad Khan (Conservative, Centre-right): Maybe in a moment or two—I will just make a little progress, if I may In 1974, the Government of Pakistan kowtowed to the extremist hate-mongers that characterise a perverted form of Islam we now sadly see in so many corners of the world, when Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto shamefully amended the Pakistan constitution to declare Ahmadis non-Muslims. It is a tragic irony that many of the preachers of prejudice from Jama’at-E-Islami are the political heirs of the exact same people who fought tooth and nail against the great Jinnah in his struggle to establish the state of Pakistan, wherein all Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Sikhs, Jews and others were promised the right to freedom Since then, increasingly more draconian measures have been inflicted on the Ahmadiyya community, including the promulgation of Ordinance XX in 1984 under the brutal dictator General Zia. Under that ordinance, it is punishable with three-year imprisonment, an unlimited fine and even the death penalty for Ahmadis simply to call themselves Muslim, or to call their mosques a mosque. As a consequence, Hadrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad, the 4th Caliph, was forced to leave Pakistan. Today, Ordinance XX is used to persecute minorities in Pakistan, including Christians and Hindus. Pakistan suffers the great ignominy of having codified and granted constitutional legitimacy to religious discrimination and persecution.
Persecution of Ahmadis — House of Commons, 2020-11-23
Topic: Civil Rights
Fiona Claire Bruce (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend is making an excellent speech. He touches on the nub of my intervention. Does he not agree that the real tragedy in Pakistan is that it is the very constitution and laws of Pakistan, particularly the blasphemy laws, that are so often the basis for the persecution of the Ahmadis and indeed other religious minorities, when, in any country, these should be the cornerstone of the protection of fundamental rights such as freedom of religion and belief?