argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: International Affairs
Peter Wishart (Scottish National Party, Centre-left): I have given way to the hon. Gentleman already. This UK super-state seeks to control and restrict the operation of Scotland, and it is prepared to strip us of powers faster than any United Kingdom Independence party cartoon version of some evil EU bureaucrat or Commissioner would. I wish to make a comparison with Ireland, because it is instructive. Ireland, as a member of the EU, can almost stop the progress of Brexit—it has the powers to do that, and in the past couple of weeks it has asserted that that might be something it may be obliged to seek. Scotland, as part of the UK super-state, does not even have the power to legislate for the best interests of hill farmers in Perthshire—that is going to be left to this House That shows how power grabbing the UK super-state and this place are going to be. This is a real power grab, more menacing than any fantasy dreamt up by our Brexiteer friends in relation to their death star version of Brussels. They are even starting to use the words of the super-state. Our integrated UK joint economy is now to be "the single market". Any minute now the hon. Member for Harwich and North Essex will be made a UK commissioner and we will start to see "UK-pol" and "UK-atom". This is the sort of place they are going with this creation of the British super-state. We have to be very careful when we are designing these things. We do not want to swap our useful place in Europe in order to be junior and subservient members of their British super-state.
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: Government Operations
Peter Wishart (Scottish National Party, Centre-left): I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for clarifying that. I just refer him to exactly what is in new clause 64: "Ministers of the Crown shall only create UK-wide frameworks" The presumption is that Ministers of the Crown will create them.
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: Government Operations
Peter Wishart (Scottish National Party, Centre-left): I do not know what part of that line the hon. Gentleman does not understand: "Ministers of the Crown shall only create UK-wide frameworks" It does not talk about anybody else. I will leave that there. It is unfortunate. I do not know why Labour Front Benchers could not have come to us and had a conversation about it. We could have put forward our concerns. We could have come together consensually, as we have been doing quite a lot, and worked something out, but unfortunately that was not the approach they wanted to adopt. That was up to them Back to my friends in the Scottish Conservative party—I feel like I have neglected them now. This evening is a test for them. The future and the principles of the devolution settlement are up for grabs this evening. They can trust these guys here—the Ministers—trustworthy though they may be, to do the right thing. Perhaps they have received assurances that the Government are going to do all these things and that everything is going to be all right. But what is not acceptable—I know most of my Scottish Conservative colleagues and friends are new to this place—is for this to go to the unelected House of Lords to be amended. That is what increasingly this Government are doing. They do not like to accept amendments in this place, which is a democratic outrage. This House, which we are all elected to by our constituents, should be the exclusive place in which these things are resolved and fixed down. If those Tories think that we should resolve these really important issues in a place that is full of unelected donors and cronies and failed Members of Parliament—I am thinking about the guy who opposed me in the Scottish Parliament and who managed to get himself in there and a role in the legislature—then that is their view, not mine. When we have debates about such critical issues, we owe it to our constituents to ensure that it is we who decide and determine them and not those in another place, which is unelected I hope that the Scottish Tories are right—I am looking round now and can see that they have full confidence that this will be resolved and fixed down—but the one way that they can definitely guarantee that they will get their way is to vote. That is what we do in this House: we vote on issues that we agree on and support. For the sake of the devolution settlement and to ensure that we get some sort of solution to everything that we need to get fixed, they should back us tonight, stand up for Scotland and make sure that these amendments are passed.
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: Government Operations
Joanna Catherine Cherry (Scottish National Party, Centre-left): The hon. Gentleman makes a point about the power grab, but he needs to understand that this phrase is not just used by the SNP. As I said earlier, it was first used by the former British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown. Government Members have been surprised that I am quoting Gordon Brown, but the Conservative and Unionist party needs to understand that all the Scottish parties—apart from the Conservatives—are united in their desire to protect the devolution settlement. The hon. Gentleman is describing what he hopes will happen, but clause 11 will not enable that to happen, because it involves top-down imposition, rather than organic upwards agreement.
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: Government Operations
Hannah Mary Bardell (Scottish National Party, Centre-left): One of the hon. Gentleman’s colleagues has just said that he wants specifics about clause 11, while another says that the Conservative party respects the devolution settlement. Can the hon. Gentleman explain what it is about amendment 72— "This section shall not come into effect until…the Scottish Parliament…the National Assembly for Wales…and…the Northern Ireland Assembly has passed a resolution approving the provisions"— that does not respect the devolution settlement or support his position?
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: International Affairs
Thomas Sheppard (Scottish National Party, Centre-left): I think the hon. Gentleman misunderstands what is happening. At the minute, the EU has legislative competence in 111 devolved areas, to ensure compatibility with the treaty on European Union. After Brexit, that will not be the case; what is being proposed is that the UK Parliament should be given legislative competence over these devolved areas that it currently does not have. That is a material change and constraint on devolution.
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: Foreign Trade
Hannah Mary Bardell (Scottish National Party, Centre-left): The hon. Gentleman talks about different regulations. Surely he understands the desire in Scotland, which the votes cast in Scotland reflected, to stay in the single market and the customs union and have the same rules and regulations. Only England and the other parts of the UK that leave may be threatened with different regulations.
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: International Affairs
Ian Blackford (Scottish National Party, Centre-left): I should point out to the hon. Gentleman that, when we appeared in front of the Scottish electorate in 2016, we won a mandate to deliver a Scottish referendum if Scotland was dragged out of the EU, the single market and the customs union. Lastly, we have got 35 MPs; we won the election in Scotland.
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: International Affairs
Andrew Egan Henderson Hendry (Scottish National Party, Centre-left): On the subject of powers, does the hon. Gentleman still subscribe to what was written on the banner that he held outside the Scottish Parliament for the Vote Leave campaign? The banner urged people to vote to "LEAVE the EU and give control of the Scottish fishing industry to our democratically-elected Scottish Parliament" Does he still agree that those powers should go to the democratically elected Scottish Parliament?
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: International Affairs
Angus Brendan MacNeil (Scottish National Party, Centre-left): The hon. Gentleman is making a good speech showing up the deficiencies of the Welsh Assembly and the Scottish Parliament. Does he agree that current events show the vastly advantageous situation in which Ireland finds itself? Its Parliament is not dependent on this place but is actually pulling the strings and telling this place what to do, and this place has to listen.
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: International Affairs
Angus Brendan MacNeil (Scottish National Party, Centre-left): Those concerns have been laid out by the Scottish Government for over a year now. Surely today’s actions by the UK Government show that if they can concede on Northern Ireland with regard to the customs union and the single market, despite the Democratic Unionist party vetoing that, they can make the same offer to Scotland and to Wales.
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: International Affairs
Angus Brendan MacNeil (Scottish National Party, Centre-left): Can the hon. Gentleman imagine any politician elected in the Republic of Ireland thinking that Ireland could not manage such matters itself, especially given what has happened today? Why does he require—demand, need—London to do this? Can he not stand on his own two feet and look at the world eye to eye? What is this puppy-dog need for London to sort it all out?
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: International Affairs
Deidre Leanne Brock (Scottish National Party, Centre-left): The hon. Gentleman talks about devolved Administrations being involved in discussions, but none of them is involved in the negotiations themselves, because of the UK Government’s decision to exclude them. Does he agree that in the end that was a big mistake?
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: Agriculture
Philippa Whitford (Scottish National Party, Centre-left): That is the problem. There is no timescale. This place is snarled up in dealing with Brexit work, and that pressure will be even greater after Brexit. Those of us from the devolved countries feel that the needs of our farmers and fishermen will be way down the agenda for the devolution work being done here.
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: Government Operations
Peter Wishart (Scottish National Party, Centre-left): My hon. and learned Friend is absolutely right. The Scottish Affairs Committee has not heard one dissenting voice to the fact that clause 11 is thoroughly bad for devolution. It is not just all the constitutionalists and all the legal experts who agree with that; the Conservatives agree with it too. They do not believe that clause 11 is fit for purpose. What can she do to encourage them to join us this evening to ensure that we make progress and change the clause significantly?
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: International Affairs
Joanna Catherine Cherry (Scottish National Party, Centre-left): I am encouraging those Conservatives to listen to the experts who have given evidence to the various House of Commons Committees,whether orally or in writing. I have mentioned several of them. May I mention what Dr Jo Hunt, from the University of Cardiff, said to the Exiting the European Union Committee? She said: "This should be a profound constitutional moment, where the nature of the UK is properly addressed, and a debate and discussion is had about what the United Kingdom is for and what the roles of the various parties in the United Kingdom are. We have had any number of Select Committee reports from the Commons and the House of Lords dealing with interinstitutional relations, intergovernmental relations, and devolution" Now is the moment, when we are allegedly taking back control, to look carefully at how we distribute those powers within the nations of the United Kingdom. We should not simply bring them back in one box from Brussels, rest them at London and leave it to London to decide when and if Edinburgh and Cardiff ever get sight of that power There is a terrible irony here. Many Brexiteers went on at great length about how Brussels imposes its will on the United Kingdom, but that is actually a fundamental misunderstanding of how the European Union works. As has been explained, it works by a number of sovereign nations pooling their sovereignty and participating in a process of decisions. If anyone on the Conservative Benches really is a Brexiteer who believes in taking back control and does not like the way, in their opinion, Brussels has imposed on the UK, surely that should make them even more motivated to ensure that the centre—Westminster—does not impose on the constituent nations of the UK.
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: International Affairs
Joanna Catherine Cherry (Scottish National Party, Centre-left): The Scottish National party has always worked constructively with all parties to ensure that the principle of subsidiarity is respected within these islands. However, what we are not in the business of doing is simply lying supine while all these powers are brought back from Brussels and left here at Westminster, with absolutely no time limit—[Interruption.] The hon. Member for Stirling (Stephen Kerr) may not like it, but this is the weight of the evidence that we have heard about the effect of clause 11. It is not my view; it is the view of many others.
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: International Affairs
Joanna Catherine Cherry (Scottish National Party, Centre-left): The distinction I am drawing is between a single market and a unitary market. I am saying that the European Union is a single market because it is a collection of sovereign states that come together and participate in making common regulations. The United Kingdom, as framed by this withdrawal Bill, will not be such a single market. It will be a unitary market where the regulations and the frameworks are imposed from the top down. That is the distinction that I seek to make.
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: International Affairs
Joanna Catherine Cherry (Scottish National Party, Centre-left): As I said, I am drawing my comments to a close I want to address one of the many points we have heard from the Government Benches. I think it was the hon. Member for Aberdeen South (Ross Thomson) who said that he is upset and disappointed that the issue of independence is still on the table. Well, I will tell him why it is still on the table; today gives us a good example. The majority of people at the last Scottish election voted for Members of the Scottish Parliament who want another independence referendum—it is called democracy —and the Scottish Parliament itself has voted that there should be another independence referendum if it is necessary because of the Brexit process. But the reason why so many of us in Scotland are interested in the notion of independence really arises from the current crisis in which the United Kingdom finds itself. I will finish by quoting the First Minister of Scotland, who today said: "Right now, Ireland is powerfully demonstrating the importance of being independent when it comes to defending your vital national interests."
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: Government Operations
Patrick John Grady (Scottish National Party, Centre-left): Let me make it simple for the hon. Gentleman. The founding principle of the devolution settlement is that things that are not reserved are automatically devolved. Is it or is it not his belief that clause 11 fundamentally undermines that principle?
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: Foreign Trade
Peter Wishart (Scottish National Party, Centre-left): It is quite straightforward. The hon. Gentleman is alleging and suggesting that, for some reason, if clause 11 were significantly amended, his internal market would be at risk. Does he actually believe for one minute that, if clause 11 were rejected, his internal market would absolutely disappear?
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: International Affairs
Christopher Murray Alexander Law (Scottish National Party, Centre-left): The Fraser of Allander Institute predicts that not 80,000, but 139,000 jobs are at stake. Does the hon. Gentleman agree that that is not talking Scotland down; those are the facts of the matter when it comes to Brexit? We are just about at a cliff edge now.
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: Government Operations
Deidre Leanne Brock (Scottish National Party, Centre-left): If the UK Government genuinely wish to show willing towards the Scottish Government and their concerns about the Bill and clause 11 specifically, does the hon. Gentleman not think that powers should be devolved directly to the devolved Administrations first and then that frameworks should be agreed? One wonders what the UK Government are actually afraid of. The hon. Member for East Renfrewshire (Paul Masterton) spoke about powers being devolved when the UK Government think it is safe to do so. Why is there such concern about not sending those powers to the Scottish Government?
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: Government Operations
Deidre Leanne Brock (Scottish National Party, Centre-left): On the temporary nature of these proposals, why have the Government not chosen just to put in place a sunset clause? Why is no date indicated, because the lack of one creates an enormous amount of uncertainty for everyone?
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: Government Operations
Peter Wishart (Scottish National Party, Centre-left): I am listening carefully to the Minister’s speech, but I am not hearing much about addressing the concerns of the devolved Parliaments and Assemblies, which are clearly saying that what is being proposed drives a coach and horses through the devolution settlement. How on earth is the Minister going to take on board their real concerns about what this Bill does to devolution, not least through clause 11?
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: International Affairs
Angus Brendan MacNeil (Scottish National Party, Centre-left): How does the UK Government’s approach to working together with the devolved Administrations differ from their approach to working together with, say, Dublin and the other members of the EU27? Is one not a meeting of equals and the other a meeting of master and underling?
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: Government Operations
Angus Brendan MacNeil (Scottish National Party, Centre-left): Surely the determination is very simple. It is set down in the Scotland Act 1998 that what is not reserved is devolved, so if it comes from Europe, it will be devolved. It is set down and it is simple. It should not be up to the Minister to be judge and jury. He talks about partnership, but he should respect the law.
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: Environment
Alison Emily Thewliss (Scottish National Party, Centre-left): I pay tribute to the hon. Member for Ilford South (Mike Gapes), because that was an absolutely perfect speech. It had to be made and I am glad that he did it We have talked in general terms today about lots of the things to do with the new clause and what it might mean, about clause 11, and about the 111 things that require some attention. I want to look at how issues of waste are dealt with within the EU. The EU waste framework directive flows into the Waste (Scotland) Regulations 2012. The European landfill directive, the European packaging and packaging waste directive, and various other EU directives are currently implemented by the Scottish Government. The EU sets the rules within those frameworks and directives, and the Scottish Government have flexibility, as do the other devolved nations, on how they implement them Without any certainty over what happens on the day of Brexit, we can have no deal, no certainty and no regulation of those matters. In Scotland, we have developed a circular economy strategy and made a lot of progress towards the implementation of the EU’s circular economy action plan. We have made more progress than the rest of the UK has, and we have made different progress. The directives have given us the flexibility to take a different road. Were the matter to come back to the UK Government, we could not be guaranteed the flexibility we need to make progress with the plans that we have already embarked on The Local Government Information Unit recently produced an excellent briefing on waste disposal and Brexit. The briefing raises specific concerns about the future UK directive, which could well be less ambitious than our plans. We have heard a lot from various Tories in the past about cutting red tape and regulations, but doing so could have a serious impact on the interesting and important issue of waste collection. Scotland’s zero waste plan is award winning and ambitious, as we are on climate change. We should have full control over it, and we should not have to drag behind the UK if it does not wish to step forward as quickly as we do.
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: Government Operations
Andrew Egan Henderson Hendry (Scottish National Party, Centre-left): We have heard a great deal about clause 11 tonight. My right hon. Friend the Member for Ross, Skye and Lochaber (Ian Blackford) described it correctly earlier, and even Conservative Members representing Scottish constituencies admitted that it was faulty in its current form. Indeed, it is nothing more than a power grab which is fatally undermining the devolution settlement in all the nations of the United Kingdom.
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill — House of Commons, 2017-12-04
Topic: Technology
Alan Brown (Scottish National Party, Centre-left): I thank my hon. Friend for giving way so early in his speech. I do not know whether he has seen the coverage of last week’s rural broadband debate, during which Scottish Tory Members shouted across the Chamber, "Strip the Scottish Government of their powers." That is their attitude. There is no doubt that there is a power grab at stake.