argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
Illegal Wildlife Trade — House of Commons, 2017-07-11
Topic: International Affairs
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): I wish to begin by congratulating Iraq’s security forces on liberating Mosul from the pitiless grasp of Daesh. The flag of Iraq flies once more in the country’s second city and I pay tribute to the pilots of the RAF who played a vital role in supporting this operation, delivering more airstrikes than anyone else apart from the United States. The House can take pride in what they have done On the illegal wildlife trade, we can be pleased with the agreement that the Prime Minister helped to secure at the G20 summit in Hamburg. It is about cracking down not only on the trade in charismatic megafauna, but on those who engage in gunrunning, people trafficking and much other human misery, as well as illegal wildlife trafficking. We can be proud of what we are doing.
Illegal Wildlife Trade — House of Commons, 2017-07-11
Topic: International Affairs
Nigel Paul Huddleston (Conservative, Centre-right): I applaud the efforts the Government are making in this area. I am also pleased that the UK will host the illegal wildlife trade conference in 2018. Can the Foreign Secretary confirm how much money the Department has committed to tackling the illegal wildlife trade and how effectively the money is being spent?
Illegal Wildlife Trade — House of Commons, 2017-07-11
Topic: International Affairs
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): I completely share the hon. Gentleman’s zeal and passion. The UK has in fact been in the lead on this for several years now, and we will continue to push the agenda, not just at the G20, as the Prime Minister did, but at the IWT summit that we will host in October 2018 in London.
Illegal Wildlife Trade — House of Commons, 2017-07-11
Topic: International Affairs
Thomas Georg John Tugendhat (Conservative, Centre-right): Will my right hon. Friend talk a little about his strategy on this issue, because the link between the illegal wildlife trade, smuggling, people trafficking, and lawlessness and violence in many countries is extremely real? Addressing the illegal wildlife trade may seem esoteric, but it is not: it is about the stability of many nations that are firm partners of the United Kingdom.
Exiting the EU — House of Commons, 2017-07-11
Topic: Foreign Trade
Rachel Helen Maclean (Conservative, Centre-right): Businesses in my constituency are seeking to make the most of the opportunities that Brexit provides for them, but can my right hon. Friend assure me that he will work closely with the Department for International Trade and the Department for Exiting the European Union to ensure that businesses that are already trading with the single market are helped to build new export markets for their goods and services around the world, to secure their continued prosperity?
Exiting the EU — House of Commons, 2017-07-11
Topic: Foreign Trade
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): Absolutely. I congratulate my hon. Friend on what I believe is her first question—I think it is a very good one. She can reassure her constituents that not only will the excellent companies in her constituency be able to continue to enjoy free trade with the rest of the European Union—with the EU27—but they will, of course, have the additional opportunity afforded by the new free trade deals that we will be able to strike with countries around the world. I am pleased to say that they were queuing up to make that point to the Prime Minister at the G20 in Hamburg.
Exiting the EU — House of Commons, 2017-07-11
Topic: Foreign Trade
Edward Julian Egerton Leigh (Conservative, Centre-right): Today is the feast day of St Benedict, the patron saint of Europe, who famously warned about "murmuring in the community" against the abbess. Will my right hon. Friend please proclaim that we do not want any murmuring from anyone against our vision of an open, free trade Europe—the best possible free trade deal, leading the world towards free trade and untold prosperity?
Exiting the EU — House of Commons, 2017-07-11
Topic: International Affairs
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend has made an excellent point. Members on both sides of the House know very well that 80% or 85% of us were elected on a very clear manifesto pledge to come out of the European Union, to come out of the single market and—as the leader of the Labour party has said—to come out of the customs union as well. Nothing could be clearer than that. I think that what the people of this country want us to do is get on and deliver a great Brexit, and I have no doubt that, with the support of Opposition Members, we can achieve it.
Exiting the EU — House of Commons, 2017-07-11
Topic: International Affairs
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): I think that what the British public can take from both the Chancellor and myself—and, indeed, from the vast majority of Labour Members, as I understand their position—is that we all want to get on and do the deal, to do the best deal possible, and to leave the EU.
Exiting the EU — House of Commons, 2017-07-11
Topic: Foreign Trade
John Charles Baron (Conservative, Centre-right): What lessons does my right hon. Friend take from the Australian Government, who negotiated free trade deals with China, Japan and South Korea in very short order by focusing on trade itself rather than getting bogged down in disputes with regard to standards, legalities and regulations?
Exiting the EU — House of Commons, 2017-07-11
Topic: Foreign Trade
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): I agree very much with what my hon. Friend has said. I think that, with a bit of gumption and a bit of positive energy, there is no limit to what we can achieve, and we should get on and do it. Of course, we cannot ink in the free trade deals now, but we can certainly pencil in the outlines.
Exiting the EU — House of Commons, 2017-07-11
Topic: International Affairs
Philip Thomas Hollobone (Conservative, Centre-right): Since we joined the Common Market on 1 January 1973 until the date we leave, we will have given the EU and its predecessors, in today’s money in real terms, a total of £209 billion. Will the Foreign Secretary make it clear to the EU that if it wants a penny piece more, it can go whistle?
Exiting the EU — House of Commons, 2017-07-11
Topic: International Affairs
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): I am sure that my hon. Friend’s words will have broken like a thunderclap over Brussels and they will pay attention to what he has said. He makes a very valid point; the sums that I have seen that they propose to demand from this country seem to me to be extortionate, and I think that to "go whistle" is an entirely appropriate expression.
Exiting the EU — House of Commons, 2017-07-11
Topic: Government Operations
Questions: Will the Secretary of State ensure, in a spirit of co-operation, that the final Brexit deal is endorsed by the devolved Parliaments before it is signed?
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): As the hon. Gentleman knows very well, we work closely under the Joint Ministerial Committee to bring in the devolved Administrations and make sure the great deal we are going to get has their endorsement and approval.
Exiting the EU — House of Commons, 2017-07-11
Topic: International Affairs
Questions: Will the Secretary of State ensure, in a spirit of co-operation, that the final Brexit deal is endorsed by the devolved Parliaments before it is signed?
Jacob William Rees-Mogg (Conservative, Centre-right): Further to the question by the right hon. Member for Leeds Central (Hilary Benn), did my right hon. Friend hear the report on the "Today" programme this morning that other European leaders were making it clear that they would not accept a deal on any terms, and does he share my view that what is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander?
Exiting the EU — House of Commons, 2017-07-11
Topic: International Affairs
Questions: Will the Secretary of State ensure, in a spirit of co-operation, that the final Brexit deal is endorsed by the devolved Parliaments before it is signed?
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): I congratulate my hon. Friend on the birth of what I believe is his sixth child. He makes a very good point about the negotiating stance of our friends and partners across the channel. They do sound at the moment pretty hard over, as we say in the Foreign Office, but I have no doubt that in the fullness of time a suppleness will descend, and a willingness to compromise, because, after all, a great Brexit deal, a great free trade deal, and a deep and special partnership is in the interests of both sides of the channel.
Exiting the EU — House of Commons, 2017-07-11
Topic: International Affairs
Questions: Will the Secretary of State ensure, in a spirit of co-operation, that the final Brexit deal is endorsed by the devolved Parliaments before it is signed?
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): As I have said before, the striking thing about this debate is how much unanimity there really is between the two sides of the Chamber on these fundamental questions, and I have been very struck that the leader of the Labour party seems to be very much on all fours with the objectives of the Brexit—[Interruption.] He very much agrees with the position we are taking, and I hope to see him in the Lobby with us.
Exiting the EU — House of Commons, 2017-07-11
Topic: International Affairs
Questions: Will the Secretary of State ensure, in a spirit of co-operation, that the final Brexit deal is endorsed by the devolved Parliaments before it is signed?
Peter William Bone (Conservative, Centre-right): I hate to disagree with the Foreign Secretary: while he is right to say that the Leader of the Opposition is fully behind the Government and those on the Conservative Benches are fully behind the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary, the Opposition are hopelessly split on this issue, and is that not hindering the Government’s negotiating position?
Exiting the EU — House of Commons, 2017-07-11
Topic: International Affairs
Questions: Will the Secretary of State ensure, in a spirit of co-operation, that the final Brexit deal is endorsed by the devolved Parliaments before it is signed?
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): It is not for me to comment on the ability of the Labour leader to control his own party. I take it that Labour Members are all following official Labour party policy, which is to come out of the EU and the single market. If they are not, they can stand up now and, by their questions, betray their real position, but as far as I know they are supporting the will of the British people as expressed last year. If they wish to dissent from that, now is the time.
Exiting the EU — House of Commons, 2017-07-11
Topic: Foreign Trade
Questions: Will the Secretary of State ensure, in a spirit of co-operation, that the final Brexit deal is endorsed by the devolved Parliaments before it is signed?
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): As I said before, the chances of such an outcome are vanishingly unlikely, since it is manifestly in the interests of those on both sides of the channel to get a great free trade deal and a new deep and special partnership between us and the European Union. That is what we are going to achieve.
Exiting the EU — House of Commons, 2017-07-11
Topic: International Affairs
Questions: Will the Secretary of State ensure, in a spirit of co-operation, that the final Brexit deal is endorsed by the devolved Parliaments before it is signed?
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): There is no plan for no deal, because we are going to get a great deal. For the sake of illustration, I remind the right hon. Lady that there was a time, which I am old enough to remember, when Britain was not in what we then called the Common Market.
Mayflower Pilgrims — House of Commons, 2017-07-11
Topic: International Affairs
Questions: What discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on celebrating the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower pilgrims in 2020 in the UK and abroad.
Alan James Carter Duncan (Conservative, Centre-right): Foreign Office officials are working closely with colleagues from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport to prepare for the 400th anniversary. I am pleased that Oliver Colvile, the former Member for Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport, has been appointed chair of the Mayflower committee by the Prime Minister. The committee will make the most of the opportunity to commemorate the legacy of the pilgrims and the special relationship.
Mayflower Pilgrims — House of Commons, 2017-07-11
Topic: International Affairs
Questions: What discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on celebrating the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower pilgrims in 2020 in the UK and abroad.
Crispin Jeremy Rupert Blunt (Conservative, Centre-right): The importance of this anniversary, in British-American relations, can hardly be overstated. Would not 2020 be a more suitable date for a state visit from the President of the United States, to mark that anniversary, rather than in the months to come?
Ukraine — House of Commons, 2017-07-11
Topic: International Affairs
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): The UK is in the lead on this issue, helping Ukraine to make the vital reforms that it needs, and to continue to crack down on corruption, which is so important if we are going to encourage long-term and continued investment in a successful Ukraine.
Ukraine — House of Commons, 2017-07-11
Topic: International Affairs
John Flasby Lawrance Whittingdale (Conservative, Centre-right): I congratulate my right hon. Friend on the organisation last week of the Ukraine reform conference in London, which demonstrated that Britain will continue to play a leading role on the world stage in the years to come. Can he confirm that, while Ukraine still faces major challenges, progress is being made in areas such as tackling corruption? Will he also tell us what more can be done to assist it?
Ukraine — House of Commons, 2017-07-11
Topic: International Affairs
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): May I get the ball back over the net by congratulating my right hon. Friend on becoming chair of the all-party parliamentary group on Ukraine? All of us in this House have a clear interest in a strong and successful Ukraine, which is why we have invested another £33 million in helping the Ukrainians to tackle their governance problems. The House should be in no doubt about what is going on in Ukraine. It is, if you like, an arm wrestle between two value systems: our way of looking at the world and the Russian way of looking at the world. It is vital for our continent and for this country that our way prevails. With British help, I believe that it is prevailing and will prevail.
Ukraine — House of Commons, 2017-07-11
Topic: International Affairs
Questions: Is not one of the real problems that the Russians are actively meddling in Ukraine? So far, there has been no sign of all the efforts that Britain has rightly made paying dividends in Russia stopping its corrupt meddling in that country.
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right to say that the fault lies squarely with Russia. Russia annexed Crimea and continues to drive the problems in the Donbass. The UK is contributing to the efforts to stave off Russian military meddling with the non-lethal equipment that we have agreed to send to Ukraine. More importantly, however, we are engaged in helping the Ukrainians to sort out their domestic political scene and to crack down on corruption. To be fair to them, not only are they seeing growth of 1.5% or 4%, depending on whose figures are to be believed, but they have made more progress in cracking down on corruption in the past three years than in the past 25 years. A very different country is being born.
Canada: Diplomatic Relations — House of Commons, 2017-07-11
Topic: International Affairs
Alan James Carter Duncan (Conservative, Centre-right): Our bilateral relationship is strong because it is a deep bond of friendship that is rooted in our shared histories and common values. We look forward to strengthening those ties over the coming years and have agreed to hold regular strategic talks to maximise the full potential of this important bilateral relationship.
Canada: Diplomatic Relations — House of Commons, 2017-07-11
Topic: Foreign Trade
Andrew Theakstone Percy (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank the Minister for that response. Canadian investment is hugely important in my constituency and across the UK. As we move forward with leaving the European Union and seeking a free trade deal with Canada, our relationship will be more important—specifically our relationships with the provincial governments. Do we have a network in place across Canada to ensure that we are making the best of those relationships?
Canada: Diplomatic Relations — House of Commons, 2017-07-11
Topic: Foreign Trade
Alan James Carter Duncan (Conservative, Centre-right): On the House’s behalf, may I express our sympathy to all those in British Columbia who have been affected by the damaging wildfires? Our consulates-general in Calgary, Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver work with provincial governments to increase bilateral trade and investment, particularly in the infrastructure sector. We are working across all levels of the Canadian Government to ensure that British companies can take full advantage of the opportunities offered by the Canada-EU comprehensive economic and trade agreement.
Canada: Diplomatic Relations — House of Commons, 2017-07-11
Topic: Foreign Trade
Alan James Carter Duncan (Conservative, Centre-right): I simply do not recognise the analysis that the hon. Gentleman offers the House on any matter that he just mentioned. Our opportunities for future trade with Canada will be enormous once we have left the European Union.
Canada: Diplomatic Relations — House of Commons, 2017-07-11
Topic: International Affairs
Questions: I thank the Minister for his answers so far. As he will be aware, 2017 marks the 150th anniversary of the Canadian Confederation, and our two nations have faced together some of the most difficult challenges in history during that period. Does he agree that that provides a great opportunity to build on our relationship and that we should reject the nonsense that we have just heard?
Alan James Carter Duncan (Conservative, Centre-right): Yes, I agree emphatically with my hon. Friend. We offer our congratulations to Canada on the 150th anniversary of the Canadian Confederation, and we are pleased that Their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall were able to join the celebrations in Ottawa to mark the occasion. On a practical basis, the Foreign Secretary met Foreign Minister Freeland last week and agreed to hold regular strategic talks to ensure that we can maximise the full potential of this important and close bilateral relationship way beyond the expectations of the hon. Member for Huddersfield (Mr Sheerman).
Diplomatic Relations: Philippines — House of Commons, 2017-07-11
Topic: International Affairs
Mark Christopher Field (Conservative, Centre-right): We have a strong and wide-ranging relationship with the Philippines on prosperity, education and security issues. Ministerial visits to the Philippines and annual high-level talks between officials help to progress that co-operation—my hon. Friend the Member for Reading West (Alok Sharma), the former Minister for Asia and the Pacific, was there as recently as last December—which enables us to discuss human rights concerns while pursuing closer diplomatic and trade links.
Diplomatic Relations: Philippines — House of Commons, 2017-07-11
Topic: International Affairs
Mark Christopher Field (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank my hon. Friend for all his assiduous work over many years on behalf of Mr Taylor’s parents, his constituents in North Swindon. We have been providing ongoing consular and welfare support to Kevin Taylor since his arrest almost 10 years ago. Most recently, he was visited in prison, and we liaised with his parents only yesterday. Our consular support has also extended to delivering funds and vitamins. Most recently, we requested additional medical appointments after Mr Taylor brought his health concerns to our attention. A clemency request was made as recently as 2015, but I reassure my hon. Friend that we will do our level best to continue that work. I will be in touch with our department in Manila to ask it to redouble those efforts in the days ahead.
Diplomatic Relations: Philippines — House of Commons, 2017-07-11
Topic: International Affairs
Mark Christopher Field (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Lady will recognise that there are shared values on international trade, and it is not an issue of ditching anything else. I, like her, am very concerned by the high death toll in the war on illegal drugs that has come to a head under President Duterte. We have been urging much more thorough and independent investigations into all violent deaths, and the Foreign Office has repeatedly raised, and will continue to raise, human rights concerns with the Administration. I hope to visit Manila at some point to make precisely the case that the hon. Lady has made.
Zimbabwe — House of Commons, 2017-07-11
Topic: International Affairs
Roderick James Nugent Stewart (Conservative, Centre-right): I pay tribute to the hon. Lady’s long campaign on this subject. Our policy on Zimbabwe continues to be to try to balance our deep distaste at the horrifying record of the Mugabe regime with a genuine concern for the humanitarian needs of the Zimbabwean people, who have suffered terribly over the past 40 years.
Zimbabwe — House of Commons, 2017-07-11
Topic: International Affairs
Roderick James Nugent Stewart (Conservative, Centre-right): I agree. We are trying to balance a very difficult thing, which, as the hon. Lady says, is the terrible performance of the Mugabe regime with the fact that people in that country have been dying of cholera and suffering extreme humanitarian need. The hon. Lady is absolutely correct that focusing on free and fair elections is one of the most important things we can do in a country such as Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe — House of Commons, 2017-07-11
Topic: International Affairs
James Philip Duddridge (Conservative, Centre-right): The policy of incremental engagement with Zimbabwe is obviously the best—sometimes an unpalatable best—policy, but will the Minister consider visiting Zimbabwe in the near term, as that would be a great step forward and would perhaps put the UK in a better position for the relationship in the longer term?
Zimbabwe — House of Commons, 2017-07-11
Topic: International Affairs
Roderick James Nugent Stewart (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend has huge expertise as a former Africa Minister. The decision on whether or not I, as the Minister, visit Zimbabwe depends a great deal on the genuine commitment to reform of the Zimbabwean Government, and I will be guided by the ambassador in the country on when such a visit would be necessary and possible.
Venezuela — House of Commons, 2017-07-11
Topic: International Affairs
Alan James Carter Duncan (Conservative, Centre-right): My colleagues and I are in close contact with our international counterparts, including most recently at the Organisation of American States summit in Cancun last month. I issued a very strong statement on 6 July, utterly condemning the 5 July attack on Venezuela’s National Assembly and its elected Members, and calling for the Venezuelan Government to uphold the constitution and show respect for democratic institutions. That statement was echoed by many colleagues across the world.