argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
Speaker’s Statement — House of Commons, 2021-04-21
Topic: Mixed Topics
Lindsay Harvey Hoyle (Labour, Centre-left): I would like to update the House on some news from the House of Lords. I am informed that Lord McFall of Alcluith has been successfully elected to the position of Lord Speaker. I have known John McFall since I was elected as MP for Chorley in 1997, and you could not find a nicer, kinder and more welcoming politician. Not only was he an extremely hard-working constituency MP, but he played a leading role as Chairman of the Commons Treasury Committee in holding the banking sector to account following the financial crash of 2008-09. For the past five years he has served with distinction as senior Deputy Speaker of the House of Lords, demonstrating a zeal for impartiality and fair-mindedness. I believe that his collaborative style and experience prove that he is exceptionally well qualified to take up the duty of Lord Speaker Having worked closely with John on issues such as security, I relish the chance to do so again on matters that cut across both Houses of Parliament. May I send congratulations on behalf of the whole House? I also want to send my best wishes to Lord Fowler, who has been Lord Speaker. I wish Lord Fowler—Norman—well in the next stage of his illustrious career, which we know of well.
Points of Order — House of Commons, 2021-04-21
Topic: Mixed Topics
Nicholas Desmond John Smith (Labour, Centre-left): On a point of order, Mr Speaker. I have constituents at Liberty Steel. I have been trying to make sense of its financial relationship with Greensill Capital. I raised the issue of lobbying with the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, and asked him about possible contact with the former Prime Minister, David Cameron. I have asked the same of the Governor of the Bank of England. An answer to my named day parliamentary question of 29 March is long overdue. Mr Speaker, would you advise how Ministers should respond in a timely way to reasonable questions asked by Members of the House?
Points of Order — House of Commons, 2021-04-21
Topic: Mixed Topics
Lindsay Harvey Hoyle (Labour, Centre-left): First, I thank the hon. Member for giving me notice of his point of order. All hon. Members are entitled to expect a timely response to their parliamentary questions. In this case, those on the Treasury Bench will have heard the point of order, and I am sure that the matter will now be looked into. If the hon. Member does not receive a response to his question he might wish to talk to the Table Office about ways to pursue this matter. I would point out, and quite strongly, that we are talking about people’s lives and communities, and I would expect that Ministers take seriously their role and duty to Members of Parliament who have been elected in those constituencies. Whatever their political side, MPs quite rightly deserve answers to their questions. There is no reason for Ministers not to answer in a timely way, so I hope that the message goes across clearly to the Treasury Bench.
Points of Order — House of Commons, 2021-04-21
Topic: Other
Lindsay Harvey Hoyle (Labour, Centre-left): That is not a point of order for the Chair, but I assure the hon. Member that his point is on the record, and it will certainly have been heard I am now suspending the House for three minutes to enable the necessary arrangements for the next business to be made.
Overseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill — House of Commons, 2021-04-21
Topic: Other
Lindsay Harvey Hoyle (Labour, Centre-left): With this it will be convenient to discuss the following: Government amendments (a) to (o) in lieu Lords amendment 2, and Government motion to disagree Lords amendment 3, and Government consequential amendment (a) Lords amendment 4, and Government motion to disagree Lords amendment 5, and Government motion to disagree Lords amendments 6 to 8.
Overseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill — House of Commons, 2021-04-21
Topic: Civil Rights
Kevan David Jones (Labour, Centre-left): The Minister has said he does not want to discriminate against people, but with this measure he is discriminating against members of the armed forces. He refers to claims being brought against the MOD, but a lot of those cases are actually brought by members of the armed forces. He says that 6% will potentially be discriminated against, and we heard evidence about that in Committee I will give the Minister one practical example. The Snatch Land Rover case came before the courts way after the fact, because it came out in the Chilcot review. Families were able to take those cases forward outside of the limitation time. There is an idea that somehow people can get a case out of limitation times without very good arguments, but that is difficult. What this measure is doing is taking the rights that we all share as individuals under the Limitation Act 1980 and saying that they do not apply to people who have served in our armed forces. That is wrong.
Overseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill — House of Commons, 2021-04-21
Topic: Mixed Topics
John Healey (Labour, Centre-left): I am so grateful that I gave way again to the right hon. Gentleman. He rightly believed that I thought his challenge was intended to trick me. I thought he was arguing—this was not my recollection, but I was not entirely certain because I do not have the Hansard record in front of me—that Lord Mackay had not spoken out against the Government’s position and had not supported Lord Robertson’s amendment. My main point—this gives me an opportunity to repeat it—is that no Conservative peer spoke up for the Government and against the amendments we are discussing this afternoon I hope that gives not just Government Back Benchers but those on the Front Bench pause for thought about just how isolated the Government are on these issues and how, during the passage of the Bill, they have failed—this is certainly not the responsibility of the Minister—to convince a wide range of experts and specialist groups, and the forces themselves, particularly those with service experience, that they are doing the right thing in this Bill.
Overseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill — House of Commons, 2021-04-21
Topic: Other
John Healey (Labour, Centre-left): This debate gets richer with every intervention I take, which probably suggests that I should stop talking and allow others to contribute. If the hon. Gentleman feels he is only an adequate historian, I am an inadequate historian. I did not know that. It has helped the strength of the argument that I am trying to make, as well as the information that the House has this afternoon.
Overseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill — House of Commons, 2021-04-21
Topic: Civil Rights
Kevan David Jones (Labour, Centre-left): Does my right hon. Friend agree that the only people who will benefit from this Bill are the lawyers? I cannot for the life of me think why a Government would want to put into statute something that will discriminate against former members of our armed forces. This will clearly be a test case in litigation, and I cannot see what justification the Government will use when that litigation goes ahead for why they have scooped out a certain section of our society away from the Limitation Act, as he outlined. It would be better if they gave up now, rather than spend a lot of time later on—which they will—when this gets tested in the courts.
House Standards System: Confidentiality and Sanctions — House of Commons, 2021-04-21
Topic: Mixed Topics
Valerie Carol Marian Vaz (Labour, Centre-left): I thank the Leader of the House for his statement and for setting out the motions so helpfully. Let me start by saying that the inquiry started, I think, in June 2019, and I encourage hon. and right hon. Members to look at the Committee’s 12th report, which was published on 30 March 2021 I am slightly concerned that the report states, at paragraph 5, that the Committee "consulted the two largest Opposition parties represented in the House about the revised proposals." I was first written to by the Chair of the Standards Committee on 8 March 2021. I felt that I needed to consult our business managers and senior leaders of our party, but it would have been helpful if all leaders of all parties were consulted. That would have been a much more transparent way of looking at these matters. Although the report states that we were consulted, from the evidence that was published it looks like I have had nothing to say, and that I cannot write or I cannot read, or whatever, but there is copious correspondence from the Leader of the House and the Chair of the Committee at pages 13 to 29. I hope that, in the future, the Chair of the Committee will find a way of consulting in time It would have been helpful, too, if the note from the Speaker setting out clarification—it appeared this morning, after hon. Members were put on the call list— had been published either the day before or well in advance, so that hon. Members could have known exactly what was being debated today Other than that, I thank the Leader of the House for encouraging the Chair of the Committee to engage with the Opposition, I thank him for his statement today, and I note the reports.
Parliamentary Works Sponsor Body — House of Commons, 2021-04-21
Topic: Other
Valerie Carol Marian Vaz (Labour, Centre-left): I thank the Leader of the House for outlining the work that is going to be undertaken on the Sponsor Body, I thank the hon. Member for Edinburgh East (Tommy Sheppard) for all the work he has done, and I wish the hon. Member for Aberdeen North (Kirsty Blackman) well in her future work.
Carbon Monoxide: Safety, Testing and Awareness — House of Commons, 2021-04-21
Topic: Mixed Topics
Charalambos Charalambous (Labour, Centre-left): I wonder what thought my hon. Friend has given to carbon monoxide alarms. In the same way that fire alarms detect smoke, does she think there should be an obligation on anyone who has a gas appliance to install carbon monoxide alarms, for instance where they have tenants?
Carbon Monoxide: Safety, Testing and Awareness — House of Commons, 2021-04-21
Topic: Housing
Charlotte Louise Nichols (Labour, Centre-left): My hon. Friend is making an important speech. I note what she said about the Government already expecting reputable landlords to do what she outlines, so does she agree that mandating and requiring them to do it through the change in the law that she suggests would not be onerous?
Carbon Monoxide: Safety, Testing and Awareness — House of Commons, 2021-04-21
Topic: Mixed Topics
Stephanie Louise Peacock (Labour, Centre-left): The hon. Gentleman makes an incredibly important point and I hope that the Minister will respond accordingly The legislation is not tough enough, and "we need to send out the message that we will not settle for anything less than the highest standards, which are needed to protect the most vulnerable people in our society."—[Official Report, 23 February 1999; Vol. 326, c. 212.] They are not my words, but those of the former Member for Houghton and Washington, East in a debate in this place on the same subject 22 years ago. It is not acceptable that, two decades later, we are still waiting for meaningful action. I hope that today the Government have finally listened and will act.
Covid-secure Working — House of Commons, 2021-02-09
Topic: Mixed Topics
Antonia Louise Antoniazzi (Labour, Centre-left): The answer that the Minister has given does not reflect the situation facing a lot of my constituents who work at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency in Swansea. If the Government themselves cannot put in place suitable infrastructure to protect employees and substantially change their practices at the DVLA, how can they expect other companies to do so? Will he commit to speaking to his Secretary of State about the issue?
Old Mine Workings: Safety — House of Commons, 2021-02-09
Topic: Public Lands
Stephen Nathan Kinnock (Labour, Centre-left): My constituents in Skewen have been devastated and traumatised by the flooding that ripped through their homes on 21 January. The disused mine workings that caused this incident are the responsibility of the Coal Authority and, ultimately, of the UK Government. Will the right hon. Lady therefore ensure that the Government fill the gaps not covered by insurance and provide financial support to those who are not insured? Does she agree that not a single Skewen resident should be left out of pocket by this terrible flooding?
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2021-02-09
Topic: Mixed Topics
John Francis Spellar (Labour, Centre-left): When asset-stripper Melrose was allowed to take over GKN, the then Secretary of State said that Melrose had to honour its commitments to stay UK-based. Now that it has torn that up with its disgraceful behaviour and decision to close Birmingham’s GKN Driveline, with the loss of 500 skilled engineering jobs, what is the Secretary of State going to do about it?
Covid-19 Update — House of Commons, 2021-02-09
Topic: Immigration
Yvette Cooper (Labour, Centre-left): Yesterday, the Home Secretary told me in Parliament that 100% compliance checks were now taking place at the border. Yet one passenger arriving at Heathrow yesterday from South Africa via Qatar has reported having no checks on her forms or tests and being just sent on her way through passport e-gates. This is a problem that I raised with the Prime Minister almost a month ago. Travellers have reported throughout that the reality is not matching the Government’s rhetoric, so why, when this is so important, does it appear that the most basic checks are still not happening?
Covid-19 Update — House of Commons, 2021-02-09
Topic: Mixed Topics
Kim Marie Johnson (Labour, Centre-left): I pay tribute to all organisations in Liverpool working on the frontline to manage this pandemic. Does the Secretary of State believe that the Government are following their own guidance in making over 2,000 Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency workers physically attend the workplace for non-essential work processing provisional licence applications when driving lessons are not possible under current restrictions? Does he agree that no one is safe until we are all safe?
Covid-19 Update — House of Commons, 2021-02-09
Topic: Mixed Topics
Benjamin Peter James Bradshaw (Labour, Centre-left): What exactly is the Secretary of State’s exit strategy from this quarantine policy? Is he, for example, planning airport testing, GPS tracking and covid passports, like other European countries, to avoid the total collapse of our vital travel sector?
Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy — House of Commons, 2021-02-09
Topic: Other
Rosalie Winterton (Labour, Centre-left): Before I call Tobias Ellwood, I should say that there will be a four-minute limit on Back-Bench contributions. A number of colleagues want to get in on this debate. I do not mind interventions, but they prevent other people from speaking unless colleagues stick to four minutes. If that does not happen, I will reduce it to three minutes, so I would urge colleagues, especially those in the Chamber, to be very aware of the effect of that.
Climate and Ecological Emergency: UK’s Response — House of Commons, 2021-02-09
Topic: Other
Rosalie Winterton (Labour, Centre-left): Before I call the Minister, I should say that there have been a number of contributions, and it needs to be noted that this has left the Minister with a very short amount of time to respond; she only has six minutes.
Payment Scheme for Victims of the Troubles — House of Commons, 2021-01-20
Topic: Mixed Topics
Andrew John Gwynne (Labour, Centre-left): I thank the Secretary of State for that answer. Eighteen months ago, I was proud to play my part in finally delivering the payment to victims who had campaigned for decades for redress for the unimaginable suffering they endured during the troubles. The fact that it still has not been delivered, though, should shame us all. So does the Secretary of State agree that failing to deliver on these promises to victims will do immense damage to trust, and when will he act to ensure that those promises are kept in Northern Ireland?
Northern Ireland Protocol — House of Commons, 2021-01-20
Topic: Mixed Topics
Rachael Helen Maskell (Labour, Centre-left): But it is not working. The Northern Ireland Secretary has denied that there is a border; the Prime Minister has denied that there are border checks, yet the queues and chaos confirm that there are both, with new customs declarations and rules of origin, while businesses have had insufficient preparation time and support. Can the Secretary of State categorically say when—that means on what date—there will be seamless movement of goods across the border? I fear that many in the supply chain will not withstand more chaos.
Abortion Services — House of Commons, 2021-01-20
Topic: Civil Rights
Stella Judith Creasy (Labour, Centre-left): It is a very familiar situation. The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission and a vulnerable woman have been left with no option but to take the UK Government to court to ensure access to abortion at home—except we are in a different situation, because this House voted to require the Secretary of State to uphold these women’s rights and ensure that they could access abortion at home. With clear evidence that over 100 women have been refused abortions and that they are buying pills online again, will the Secretary of State and Ministers confirm that they will act to uphold UK legislation, save the UK taxpayer court costs and act to intervene now?
Abortion Services — House of Commons, 2021-01-20
Topic: Mixed Topics
Karin Marguerite Smyth (Labour, Centre-left): Members across this House, and indeed the country, will be shocked that women are still not able to fully access these services, and that the services are still not being commissioned. It is unconscionable that women are travelling, against Government advice, during a pandemic because of a lack of service. I hear what the Minister says. I welcome his work on this issue, but as my hon. Friend the Member for Walthamstow (Stella Creasy) said, we seem to be back here again. Every day is a tragedy for women in Northern Ireland who have to travel. Will the Minister expand on his comments? What will he consider doing and, crucially, how soon will he act?
Engagements — House of Commons, 2021-01-20
Topic: Immigration
Keir Starmer (Labour, Centre-left): The Prime Minister talks of hindsight. What the Home Secretary said last night is not disputed. It is not disputed—this is not hindsight—that she said last March that you need to shut the borders. She was saying it, so I repeat the question that the Prime Minister avoided. Why did he overrule the Home Secretary, who claims that she said last March that we should shut our borders?
Engagements — House of Commons, 2021-01-20
Topic: Other
Lindsay Harvey Hoyle (Labour, Centre-left): It is the Scottish National party, Prime Minister. I know you keep having a memory lapse on it. I call Ian Blackford. [Interruption.] I think we have somehow lost Ian Blackford; we will come back to him I call Nicola Richards.
Engagements — House of Commons, 2021-01-20
Topic: Mixed Topics
Tulip Rizwana Siddiq (Labour, Centre-left): On 7 March this year, my constituent Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s unjustified five-year prison sentence will finally come to an end. What assurances has the Prime Minister had from the Iranian authorities that Nazanin will have her ankle tags removed, that she will get her British passport back, and that she will be allowed to board a flight back to the UK in 45 days’ time?
Engagements — House of Commons, 2021-01-20
Topic: Civil Rights
Apsana Begum (Labour, Centre-left): Doctors, researchers, experts, campaigners and my constituents, of whom just under two-thirds are from BAME backgrounds, including a large Bangladeshi population, have all observed the covid-19 pandemic disproportionately affecting BAME communities. The Royal College of General Practitioners has even requested that these communities be prioritised for vaccine roll-out. Will the Prime Minister finally recognise that this disparity is as a result of structural racism, and can he outline what his Government are doing to address the issue?
Engagements — House of Commons, 2021-01-20
Topic: Housing
Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour, Centre-left): My constituency is served by two local councils. Recently, Bexley has taken emergency action to shed hundreds of jobs, while Greenwich needs to make £20 million of cuts in its upcoming budget. Last year, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government promised councils "whatever it takes" to get through the pandemic, so why is the Prime Minister dropping a council tax bombshell and asking my constituents to pay for his promises?
Serious Criminal Cases Backlog — House of Commons, 2021-01-20
Topic: Other
Lindsay Harvey Hoyle (Labour, Centre-left): Before I call the right hon. Member for Tottenham (Mr Lammy) to ask his urgent question, I remind all hon. Members participating in these exchanges that it is important that no reference should be made to individual cases in a way that prejudices current and prospective criminal proceedings.
National Security and Investment Bill — House of Commons, 2021-01-20
Topic: Other
Rosalie Winterton (Labour, Centre-left): Order. Could I interrupt the hon. Gentleman to say that we have quite a few more speakers? We do have a fair amount of time, but I am hoping that speakers will take about 10 minutes, and he has now taken 15, so I hope that he might be bringing his remarks to a close before too long.
National Security and Investment Bill — House of Commons, 2021-01-20
Topic: Mixed Topics
Stephen Nathan Kinnock (Labour, Centre-left): With apologies, Madam Deputy Speaker, I am indeed finishing now Protecting our national security is just one element of protecting, nurturing and developing the sectors that are vital for the future. Technology sovereignty will be the defining issue of the coming decade. The economic dislocation we have seen from covid means that the case for action is stronger and more urgent than ever.
National Security and Investment Bill — House of Commons, 2021-01-20
Topic: Mixed Topics
Kevan David Jones (Labour, Centre-left): I have no doubt that the Minister will aim to recruit the brightest and best. However, what assurance can he give that those individuals will have not only the necessary security clearance but the culture of thinking about security, as opposed to business and regulation?
Prayers — House of Commons, 2021-02-22
Topic: Other
Lindsay Harvey Hoyle (Labour, Centre-left): Before we come to questions, I would like to pay tribute to our friend and colleague from Catering Services, Julia Clifford, who passed away last week having contracted covid just after bravely fighting cancer Julia joined the House of Commons on 28 October 1985, having worked first in the old Westminster Cafeteria off Westminster Hall and then in the Members’ Tea Room. She was a very hard-working and popular member of our parliamentary family who always had a smile and time for everybody. I will personally remember her for her sense of humour and in particular her love of animals —we often talked about her family and her pets. She will be greatly missed. I have asked the House authorities to consider renaming the Members’ Tea Room to Julia’s Tea Room Our condolences go to her husband John, to her sons Ben and Jack, and to the rest of the family. In time, when we are able, we will hold a service to commemorate the lives of colleagues who have sadly passed away from covid. As I say, the Tea Room will never be the same: that smiling face, somebody who was happy, somebody who used to speak to us, somebody who was always there. No matter how down this House was, Julia was always there for all of us. She is sadly missed by us and by her colleagues in the Tea Room, but she will never ever be forgotten. [Hon. Members: "Hear, hear."]