argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
Industrial Strategy — House of Commons, 2016-10-20
Topic: Macroeconomics
Iain David Wright (Labour, Centre-left): Thank you for that guidance, Mr Deputy Speaker—I need to have a productivity improvement of about 20% immediately It is a real honour to follow the hon. Member for Warwick and Leamington (Chris White). I think we have exactly the same principles, motivations and objectives when it comes to having an industrial policy. He is a fantastic member of the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee. I thank him, other members of the Committee, and the Backbench Business Committee for allowing this important topic to be debated today I welcome the Prime Minister’s rhetoric about having a "proper" industrial strategy. We on the Committee have embarked on an inquiry into industrial strategy to assist with the development of policy. A number of fundamental questions need to be addressed to ensure that we have a modern, competitive, productive, sustainable and profitable business base in this country. What is the correct and optimum level of state intervention in economic and business policy? It would be ludicrous and naive to suggest that the Government do not intervene every single day through legislation and regulation that affect the prospects of hundreds of thousands of businesses How can that intervention be done in as strategic and co-ordinated a manner as possible? The primary consideration for business in any industrial strategy, or indeed any Government policy, is long-term certainty—something the hon. Gentleman has already mentioned. How can we ensure that the broad sweep of industrial policy transcends Parliaments and can withstand changes of Government? We have to acknowledge that there is a mismatch between the long-term requirements of business and short-term political pressures. Ministers of all Governments and of all persuasions are prone to the temptation of announcements, initiatives and reviews. Governments are keen to give the impression of action and activity, even if that is not often matched in reality. How better to give an impression of zeal and purpose than to announce a review of something?
Industrial Strategy — House of Commons, 2016-10-20
Topic: Macroeconomics
Iain David Wright (Labour, Centre-left): I think that smart procurement can engineer proper prosperity, but I warn the hon. Gentleman that what I have to say next will give him spasms. It relates to the link between a proper industrial strategy and foreign takeovers, and how the state can intervene to perhaps limit the range of foreign takeovers In her speech launching her campaign to be Conservative party leader in July, the Prime Minister said: "A proper industrial strategy wouldn’t automatically stop the sale of British firms to foreign ones, but it should be capable of stepping in to defend a sector that is as important as pharmaceuticals is to Britain." I welcome that approach. One of Britain’s virtues is its openness and the fact that that openness lends itself to dynamism and a willingness to consider new ideas and innovate new products. That ultimately leads to better competitiveness, yet there is a risk that this country will sell off the crown jewels, which would be detrimental to the long-term success of British business. We are at the heart of a dynamic and connected global economy, but we are at greater risk of investment in capital allocation decisions that affect British industry being made far away from these shores by parent boards headquartered overseas Indeed, within days of the Prime Minister entering No. 10, it was announced that SoftBank was buying Cambridge-based Arm Holdings for £24 billion. That was not an old-fashioned, obsolete, loss-making businesses, and it did not require a bail-out from the state. It was a successful British company in the growing global tech revolution. If the tests for stepping in to defend a sector that is important for Britain were not at work in that instance, it is difficult to see when they would be applied. Indeed, what would those tests be? For every instance of a welcome takeover, such as Tata’s purchase of Jaguar Land Rover, there are numerous examples of takeovers where industrial capacity was moved offshore, such as Kraft’s takeover of Cadbury. What are the criteria for stepping in and intervening?
Industrial Strategy — House of Commons, 2016-10-20
Topic: Foreign Trade
Barry John Sheerman (Labour, Centre-left): That is music to my ears. When I was a young man, I worked for Imperial Chemical Industries. These days it is called Syngenta and it has a big plant in my constituency. The leading agritech company in the world was taken over, including all its sites, not by a normal company, but by ChemChina, which is a part of the communist Government of China. That is not a normal takeover, but what are this Government doing about it? I have not heard anything.
Industrial Strategy — House of Commons, 2016-10-20
Topic: Macroeconomics
Iain David Wright (Labour, Centre-left): That is a fair point and it gets to the heart of what we mean by foreign takeovers and their link to industrial strategy I am conscious that colleagues want to make their own speeches, so I will finish. The Government have yet to articulate what is meant by picking winners, whether they be individual companies, sectors or technologies. There seems to be a move away from our previous sectoral approach, but there is no clarity with regard to the criteria. It is increasingly obvious that the Government are not entirely clear about what an industrial strategy looks like. Starting with a blank piece of paper gives the Select Committee a welcome opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the development of policy, but it does not provide much reassurance or certainty to the firms that are working hard to create wealth and prosperity for this country—and certainty is what they are crying out for at the moment.
Industrial Strategy — House of Commons, 2016-10-20
Topic: Labor
Kelvin Peter Hopkins (Labour, Centre-left): I, too, am concerned about our low productivity. Does the Minister not accept that a factor in that is cheap labour? If wages are low, that does not encourage companies to invest and become more efficient. We have a history of driving down wages or keeping them too low.
Industrial Strategy — House of Commons, 2016-10-20
Topic: Foreign Trade
Kelvin Peter Hopkins (Labour, Centre-left): Like the Minister, I think that the British motor industry has a brilliant future—provided that our currency remains relatively competitive. Does he accept that we do well in export markets outside the EU but poorly inside in the EU because of the uncompetitive exchange rate? I think that we still import four times as many cars from Germany as we export to Germany. It is our trade outside that makes the difference.
Industrial Strategy — House of Commons, 2016-10-20
Topic: International Affairs
Kelvin Peter Hopkins (Labour, Centre-left): The hon. Lady and many other hon. Members talk of losing EU funding, but if we simply replace EU funding with British funding, we still make a £10 billion profit by not paying into the budget.
Industrial Strategy — House of Commons, 2016-10-20
Topic: International Affairs
Kelvin Peter Hopkins (Labour, Centre-left): I am listening with great interest to the hon. Gentleman. I always enjoy his speeches, I have to say. When it comes to the EU, however, does he not accept that confidence has been driven down by those who lost the argument and the vote, who are constantly saying that it will be terribly damaging and an economic disaster? In fact, as Ashoka Mody has said, it is actually proving to be quite beneficial.
Industrial Strategy — House of Commons, 2016-10-20
Topic: Macroeconomics
Chinyelu Susan Onwurah (Labour, Centre-left): I am glad that the Minister has attempted to make a contribution to supporting our industrial strategy, but we remember the assurances that were given in the case of, for example, Cadbury and Kraft. Assurances need to be concrete if we are to see the benefits, and we need to have the necessary powers.
Industrial Strategy — House of Commons, 2016-10-20
Topic: Macroeconomics
Chinyelu Susan Onwurah (Labour, Centre-left): I am glad that the Minister has seen fit to intervene again. I look forward to those assurances being proven, and I look forward to his apology should that not be the case The Tories’ legacy for Britain’s industrial future will be one of apathy and incompetence. There is no vision for business, or how it could bring about a more just society. On energy, on automotive, on materials, on manufacturing, on food and drink, on agribusiness, on process industries, on biotech, on steel, on tech and on the creative industries, it is for us in the Labour party to provide the leadership on industrial strategy that the country needs so much.
Industrial Strategy — House of Commons, 2016-10-20
Topic: Labor
Kelvin Peter Hopkins (Labour, Centre-left): I much enjoyed the hon. Gentleman’s speech and agree with what he is saying, but the point that has not been answered is my point: low wages and flooding the market with cheap labour does not help investment. It keeps productivity at low levels. If we are going to see high investment in modern technology, we need to raise wages and stop flooding the market with cheap labour.
Heathrow (Southern Rail Link) — House of Commons, 2016-10-20
Topic: Transportation
Seema Malhotra-Saluja (Labour, Centre-left): I am grateful for the opportunity to address this topic, which is of enormous importance to my constituents in Feltham and Heston, to London and to the entire south of England Providing southern rail access is a welcome proposal to connect areas that lie to the south of Heathrow to the airport by rail. However this is not just about getting people to their plane on time; the right scheme has the potential to transform public transport provision and regenerate areas with some of the highest levels of deprivation not just in London but in the country. In the nearby wards in my constituency where this development would take place—Bedfont, Hanworth, Feltham North, Feltham West—over 30% of children live in poverty To me it is scandalous that the world’s busiest airport is not connected to south London and the whole of the south for want of a few kilometres of track linking Heathrow to Waterloo, intermediate stations in Hounslow and the whole of the south-east and south-west.
Heathrow (Southern Rail Link) — House of Commons, 2016-10-20
Topic: Transportation
Ruth Margaret Cadbury (Labour, Centre-left): I congratulate my hon. Friend on securing this debate. My constituency as well as hers would benefit from the proposal, particularly those living in Chiswick, Brentford, Isleworth and Hounslow. It takes roughly an hour to get from this place to Heathrow airport, by various different routes. One of the slightly longer ones is via Waterloo station, Feltham and by bus, but with my hon. Friend’s proposal of southern rail access, one could get from here, via Waterloo to Heathrow in less than 45 minutes.
Economic Growth: Coastal Areas — House of Commons, 2016-11-29
Topic: Macroeconomics
Alison McGovern (Labour, Centre-left): Coastal areas in the north of England have been left behind for too long. We now know that the cost of Brexit to our economy will be the best part of 60 billion quid. Will the Chancellor commit himself to replacing the EU structural funding that gives coastal areas such as New Ferry, in my constituency, half a chance to make economic progress?
Economic Growth: Coastal Areas — House of Commons, 2016-11-29
Topic: Macroeconomics
William Roffen Esterson (Labour, Centre-left): It is about time we heard from this Government about support for our coastal economies because we have just seen, in last week’s autumn statement, a catalogue of six and a half years of abject failure, whether on infrastructure, skills or support for businesses. The coastal communities of Formby and Crosby in my constituency need to hear a lot more from the Chancellor. They need support now and in the future.
Concentrix — House of Commons, 2016-11-29
Topic: Social Welfare
Melanie Onn (Labour, Centre-left): I should like to take this opportunity to congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield, Heeley (Louise Haigh), who is not in her place, whose hard work got this issue on to the agenda and forced HMRC to act. In July, the independent Social Security Advisory Committee said that the Concentrix contract was a "major departure for HMRC, as decisions about a claimant’s past eligibility to a benefit are being made by a commercial organisation", and that "this same organisation is then performing mandatory reconsiderations when a claimant challenges the initial decision." What are the Government going to do to prevent this situation from happening again?
Productivity (South-west) — House of Commons, 2016-11-29
Topic: Macroeconomics
Kerry Gillian McCarthy (Labour, Centre-left): As the Chancellor will know, Bristol is making a real contribution to productive growth, not just in the south-west, but across the country. But as the mayor of Bristol said in his response to the autumn statement, "if the government wants a ‘watertight’ UK economy it needs to stop punching holes in local government’s hull." Will the Government commit to giving Bristol and cities like it the devolved powers, infrastructure investment and funding they need to deliver on productive growth locally?
Productivity (South-west) — House of Commons, 2016-11-29
Topic: Macroeconomics
Peter Christopher Dowd (Labour, Centre-left): The south-west’s productivity has drifted down since 2010 and, according to the House of Commons Library, the UK overall has seen the widest productivity gap with the G7 since 1991, when the data series began. What plans, if any, does the Chancellor have to pursue his predecessor’s so-called "Fixing the foundations" productivity plan? Or is that another failed policy that this Chancellor is trying quietly to jettison?
Productivity (South-west) — House of Commons, 2016-11-29
Topic: Macroeconomics
Peter Christopher Dowd (Labour, Centre-left): It is six years late. The productivity gap has widened for both the south-west and the country, and so has the gap in earnings and wages. According to the Institute for Fiscal Studies, the outlook for wages is "dreadful", with workers likely to earn less in real terms in 2021 than they did in 2008, and with the biggest losers being lower-income families, with the poorest third likely to see incomes drop. So in tandem with action on the productivity crisis, what are the Chancellor’s plans for action on the wages crisis?
Business Investment: UK and East Anglia — House of Commons, 2016-11-29
Topic: Macroeconomics
Kelvin Peter Hopkins (Labour, Centre-left): Since 23 June, there has been a significant depreciation of sterling and two announcements of major investments in UK motor manufacturing. The prospects for investment in UK manufacturing more widely are now much improved. Will the Chancellor be seeking to ensure that the more sensible exchange rate welcomed by Lord Mervyn King, among others, is sustained?
Leaving the EU: SMEs — House of Commons, 2016-11-29
Topic: Foreign Trade
Questions: What assessment he has made of the potential effect on the ability of small and medium-sized businesses to raise capital of the UK leaving the EU.
Emma Elizabeth Reynolds (Labour, Centre-left): What would be the impact on SMEs, particularly those in the supply chain of big manufacturing firms such as Jaguar Land Rover or Airbus, if we were to leave the EU without full access to the single market or a free trade deal with the rest of the EU and if we were forced to fall back on World Trade Organisation rules and tariffs?
Regional Infrastructure — House of Commons, 2016-11-29
Topic: Macroeconomics
Questions: Is not the simple truth that more than half the money announced for England will go to projects in London and the south-east and that, despite a £50 million shortfall in NHS funding by 2017 and a £130 million shortfall in social care funding by 2020, the Chancellor, like his predecessor, has short-changed Birmingham and the west midlands?; Can the Minister assure me that digital infrastructure is as important as road infrastructure and that part of the £1 billion broadband fund will be allocated to address the productivity gap in rural areas—in particular, to help shops such as the hollies farm shop in my constituency, which has three business lines and 2 megabits of speed?
Rachel Jane Reeves (Labour, Centre-left): In table 4.21 of the report Office for Budget Responsibility’s it forecast that the Government will underspend on infrastructure by £15 billion in the next five years—two thirds of the additional money announced by the Chancellor last week. Why should the public have any confidence in the ability of the Government to deliver on their promises when their own watchdog clearly does not?
UK Exports — House of Commons, 2016-11-29
Topic: International Affairs
John Martin McDonnell (Labour, Centre-left): Last week’s autumn statement should have been about providing answers to meet the challenges of Brexit and at least information on the options available. Instead, it appears that the only information we can glean is from photos snatched of the notes of a senior Conservative official in Downing Street. We know now, in the light of that leak, that many of the Chancellor’s senior colleagues in the Government are reluctant to pursue the transitional deal being called for by businesses when we leave the EU. Will the Minister now provide some clarity by inviting the Treasury and the Office for Budget Responsibility to undertake a full assessment of the public finance implications of the range of policy options associated with Brexit, including access—or not—to the single market, being in or out of the customs union and the potential for transitional arrangements?
UK Exports — House of Commons, 2016-11-29
Topic: Macroeconomics
John Martin McDonnell (Labour, Centre-left): I take that as a no Last week, we learned in the OBR report that the OBR was denied any information in respect of assurances provided to Nissan. The OBR said: "On this occasion we asked specifically whether any contingent liabilities had been created in respect of assurances provided to Nissan and the Treasury declined to say." This level of opaqueness on an existing deal undermines the certainty businesses need to invest in any future deals. Will the Chancellor now provide the OBR with the information it has requested, so that it can provide a more accurate forecast, rather than being left in the dark or, as it put it, "none the wiser"?
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2016-11-29
Topic: Labor
Mary Theresa Glindon (Labour, Centre-left): So far the Chancellor has disregarded Members’ requests to give justice to the WASPI—Women Against State Pension Inequality Campaign—women. Will he now listen to bodies such as North Tyneside Council, which, under our elected mayor, Norma Redfearn, has written to the Government to ask for a fair transition of the state pension right for all these women?
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2016-11-29
Topic: Macroeconomics
Questions: As the Chancellor will know, this Saturday marks Small Business Saturday across the country. I will be heading out in Bath to do some Christmas shopping at some of the small businesses and encouraging them to join my Best of Bath business awards. Will he join me in encouraging my constituents, and hopefully my neighbours’ constituents, to come into Bath and shop local?
Rebecca Long-Bailey (Labour, Centre-left): Last week, we saw the accumulation of six wasted years of failed economic policies supported by both the Chancellor and the Prime Minister. Following last week’s autumn statement and the publication of the Office for Budget Responsibility forecasts, can the Chancellor confirm how much worse off a pensioner on the state pension will be by 2019-20 as a result of the OBR’s downgrades to wage forecasts?
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2016-11-29
Topic: Labor
Questions: As the Chancellor will know, this Saturday marks Small Business Saturday across the country. I will be heading out in Bath to do some Christmas shopping at some of the small businesses and encouraging them to join my Best of Bath business awards. Will he join me in encouraging my constituents, and hopefully my neighbours’ constituents, to come into Bath and shop local?
Rebecca Long-Bailey (Labour, Centre-left): Let me inform the House that the forecast is this: a pensioner on the state pension will be £429 worse off by 2019-20, with only the triple lock preventing an even worse decline. After claiming in the autumn statement that the triple lock will now be subject to review, will the Chancellor end the uncertainty and worry he has caused older people and join me in committing to preserve the triple lock throughout the lifetime of the next Parliament?
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2016-11-29
Topic: Labor
Questions: As the Chancellor will know, this Saturday marks Small Business Saturday across the country. I will be heading out in Bath to do some Christmas shopping at some of the small businesses and encouraging them to join my Best of Bath business awards. Will he join me in encouraging my constituents, and hopefully my neighbours’ constituents, to come into Bath and shop local?; Casework in Wycombe continues to illustrate calculation and communication errors around tax credit payments. What steps will the Government take to reduce those errors?; Chester’s status as a centre for the financial services industry, particularly FinTech, is under threat from continuing problems with retention by businesses, which cannot get staff to come to the area. Staff cannot get there, because our infrastructure is not good enough. Instead of gloating about the Oxford to Cambridge corridor, can we have some news about when money will be spent on the M56 to upgrade it to a smart motorway?; The autumn statement shows that, as gross national income falls, so will the total projected official development assistance budget. Can the Chancellor assure us that, within that, the Department for International Development budget will be maintained as much as possible and that, if ODA has to contract, cuts will have to fall on other spending Departments before DFID?; A feature of the modern gig economy is that more and more people are sticking together mini jobs, in most of which they earn below the national insurance threshold. HMRC manages to add together that money to tax it, but it does not manage to add together that money to make sure that those people have pensions. What is the Treasury going to do to make sure that older women, in particular, get access to pensions when they have mini jobs?; I am pleased to note that the Chancellor has finally scrapped the arbitrary target for a budget surplus, which would have cut billions more than necessary, but concerns remain about his attitude towards borrowing and debt. Will the Chancellor tell us on what date his charter will come before the House, so that it can be fully scrutinised properly?; Will the Chancellor confirm that the devolution of corporation tax, which is conditional on the Northern Ireland Executive’s finances being on a sustainable footing, is not a vehicle for the Treasury to interfere in Northern Ireland’s devolved policies?
Marie Elizabeth Rimmer (Labour, Centre-left): With just one in six people with autism in employment, would it not have been better to invest in improving the Work and Health programme, rather than cutting it, to assist people to gain employment and thereby save on benefits? They want to work.