argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): On the processing of the cash grants, as I have said, my right hon. Friend the Communities Secretary is working on this at pace. It will require local authorities to write to the recipients of small business rate relief to collect their bank details, which they do not hold centrally, so that they can then provide the cash payment, but I can assure the hon. Member that that work is happening at pace.
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Mark Julian Francis Pawsey (Conservative, Centre-right): Businesses in the hospitality sector will appreciate the relief the Chancellor has given on business rates and the cash grants, but can I raise the question of suppliers to the sector, many of which have seen their sales fall off a cliff? In particular, there are those with short-dated products, such as Wood Farm micro-brewery in my constituency, which produces an excellent product but has £20,000 of short-dated stock with four weeks’ life left on it, and stands to bear a pretty substantial loss as a consequence. Is there something that can be done to support businesses such as these?
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Housing
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): I say to the hon. Lady that I think the measures today on mortgage forbearance are significant and welcome, and banks will show flexibility in providing that. In regard to council tax support, we did provide £500 million of hardship funding to local authorities specifically to use and deploy through their local council tax or support systems that already exist to provide extra support to people with their council tax bills.
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Mixed Topics
Robert William Henry Seely (Conservative, Centre-right): I welcome the Chancellor’s statement and have two questions. First, charities and social enterprises, such as Age UK on the Isle of Wight and the West Wight Sports and Community Centre, face significant income cuts and I fear that rate relief will not be enough. Can more be done to support social enterprises? Secondly, my chamber of commerce is concerned about the ability of small businesses, especially tourism businesses, to access the grants and it fears that "businesses will be closing, and on mass, before money becomes available" So can we act as swiftly, quickly and generously as possible?
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Housing
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): As I said, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government will have already been in touch with my hon. Friend’s local council through MHCLG. They will be the ones processing these grants. There is no reason why that cannot happen as swiftly as a council is able to act.
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Public Lands
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Lady asked about flooding. In last week’s Budget we outlined a variety of packages to help the communities affected by that. First and foremost, there was £120 million to rebuild flood defences that have just been destroyed, as well as £200 million of new resilience funding for communities that are repeatedly flooded and £5.2 billion, which represents a doubling of the amount that we spend every year to build new flood defences. That will protect 300,000 people and it comes on top of the work by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government in activating the Bellwin scheme and providing immediate relief for communities that have been impacted by local flooding.
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Jason McCartney (Conservative, Centre-right): I welcome the Chancellor’s pledge to do whatever it takes to support businesses, families and individuals, but when will we get the details of support for renters, for the self-employed and for freelancers, and when will businesses that are losing customers day by day get those cash grants in their bank accounts, so that they can pay their staff, keep them employed and pay their rents?
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Mixed Topics
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): Measures to help those who are self-employed and in the gig economy are already taking effect as a result of the measures taken last week. The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government is working at pace to deliver these cash grants to businesses in the coming days and weeks.
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): Again, the measures that we took last week to strengthen our security net will benefit those who are self-employed and sole traders. Those with properties that qualify for business rate relief will benefit from that and cash grants will also flow to those people.
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): I am pleased to tell my hon. Friend that, as a result of the measures I have taken today, any business in the retail, hospitality and leisure sector, regardless of its rateable value, will now qualify for 100% business rates relief for these next 12 months.
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Derek Gordon Thomas (Conservative, Centre-right): Life and the economy on the Isles of Scilly are particularly fragile. To give a quick example, a passenger boat operator who needs to provide a service for the whole of the islands but relies on tourism tells me that he has five weeks left in business. What can the Chancellor do to help businesses and the community on the Isles of Scilly?
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend is right to highlight the particular issues that his remote communities face. I believe the measures announced today, whether on business rates or direct cash grants, will make an enormous difference to local businesses in his constituency.
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Gentleman makes an excellent point. Our ambition is for the criteria to be as flexible and generous as possible. The basic point will be to ensure that a business was sensible and well-traded before coming into the crisis that it now faces. As long as that is the case, the loans should be able to be provided through the banks on the ground, with our guarantee standing behind that.
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): As always, my right hon. Friend makes a pithy point. He is right to highlight the importance of prompt payment, especially during this time. That is why the Government are taking every step we can to be prompt in our payments and urging all other businesses that can do so to do exactly the same.
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Virginia Ann Crosbie (Conservative, Centre-right): On behalf of my constituents, I welcome the significant package of financial measures the Government have made available today. Businesses in Ynys Môn, such as Seawake, Gwynedd Shipping and the restaurant Catch 22, have contacted me today, desperate for the Government to take action. Will the Chancellor join me in urging the Welsh Government to make this additional funding available as quickly as possible to small businesses across Wales so they can survive?
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Mixed Topics
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend is right to highlight the importance of speed in Wales and everywhere else. That is why we have taken steps to make Barnett consequentials available in advance as quickly as we can, so that all devolved authorities can plan and execute their plans expeditiously.
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Housing
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend is exactly right. That is why the steps we are taking are designed to work at pace. Loan schemes will be available from early next week and the Communities Secretary is ensuring that the grant payments are processed as quickly as possible through local authorities in the coming days and weeks.
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): We have outlined a package of measures to support small businesses specifically. Indeed, 700,000 of our smallest businesses will now be receiving a £10,000 grant. I suggest that the hon. Lady’s constituent Andy contacts his local authority for further support, either on business rates or local council tax support, where we are injecting an extra half a billion pounds into the system.
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Philip Thomas Hollobone (Conservative, Centre-right): I declare my interest as a member of Kettering Borough Council. I commend the Chancellor for coming up with a £350 billion business support package in record time. That will be welcomed by many small businesses in Kettering. Billing authorities such as Kettering Borough Council are already at their busiest time of year, sending out council tax bills. Can the Chancellor explain what role they will play in getting business support to local businesses and what extra support they will get to enable that to happen?
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Housing
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend makes an excellent point. He is right to highlight the capacity of local authorities to execute this plan. The Communities Secretary is working closely with them and they will be provided with extra resource funding to deal with the extra administration they will now have to undertake on our behalf. But I know and have confidence that they will do that job extremely well.
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): Those that have business properties will be eligible both for the relief and the grant, which will cover a significant number of events companies that have premises. Obviously, if they do not have premises, they will not qualify for business rates relief, but should be eligible for some of the other measures that I have outlined today.[Official Report, 29 September 2020, Vol. 681, c. 4MC.]
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Mixed Topics
Richard Michael John Ogilvie Graham (Conservative, Centre-right): This is a huge step to support jobs. Speed is of the essence, so will the Chancellor confirm when the business interruption loans will be available and how quickly applications will be processed? Will he also confirm that the Communities Secretary’s package will cover renters, the self-employed, nurseries, community groups, kindergartens and charities so that all the people in those sectors will be reassured as well?
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend is right that speed is of the essence. The loan programme will be available from early next week. My right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury is doing an excellent job working with the banks to make sure that those applications will be processed at speed, so businesses that need that support will get it quickly.
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank the hon. Member for the thoughtful question. He is right to ask about that particular point. He will be pleased to know that, compared with previous loan guarantee schemes, the generosity of the Government guarantees is significantly increased to provide a strong incentive for the banks to provide that lending. We have spoken to all the banks individually specifically on this measure and have their assurance that they will work at pace to deliver it. As a result of our entreaties, they have also unilaterally unlocked £21 billion of their own extra lending capacity to provide to the sector, so I am confident that they will deliver as required.
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Mixed Topics
Daniel Rayne Kruger (Conservative, Centre-right): Many businesses depend on not the public or other businesses, but the state itself, through contracts with different parts of the public sector. Many such contracts are on a payment-by-results basis, so they are paid according to outcomes that might no longer be possible, given the situation. Will the Chancellor work with other parts of Government to ensure that the state’s contracts, particularly with social enterprises, charities and social businesses, can be flexed to ensure that those important businesses stay afloat?
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Other
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): If the hon. Lady will forgive me, I do not have a precise answer for her at this moment, but I will look into the matter as soon as I am done and write to her.
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Mixed Topics
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): The measures announced today, whether the loan or other guarantee schemes, will be of significant support to those businesses, and the measures we announced last week will also help the employees. As I have said previously, we are looking at more measures in all areas, and I will update the House at things develop.
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Immigration
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary is doing an excellent job, making sure that our borders are secure and that we enforce our laws as required, but in a way that is humane and compatible with all human rights. I am sure that she will do exactly that as we go through the challenging next few months.
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): If those businesses are already receiving small business rate relief, that will be known to the local authorities, which will shortly be writing to them to request their financial details so that they can process the grant payments. If businesses have not heard in short order, they can get in touch with their local authorities.
Economic Update — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): Those in the leisure and hospitality and the retail sectors are of course particularly impacted by what we are experiencing, which is why the package of measures announced today builds on what was announced last week and goes to the heart of that industry to provide direct cash support and business rate relief. The measures we announced last week also provide support to those who are self-employed.
St Patrick’s Day — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Other
Neil Quentin Gordon Parish (Conservative, Centre-right): It is great for me to be celebrating St Patrick’s Day in this Chamber, in his Adjournment debate, because I have an Irish grandmother. I just want to congratulate the hon. Gentleman on probably being the Member who has intervened the most in Adjournment debates in this House.
St Patrick’s Day — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Other
Michael Jon Wood (Conservative, Centre-right): I congratulate the hon. Gentleman on securing this debate. I was born on St Patrick’s Day, so I fully support the extension of celebrations of 17 March by at least a couple of weeks either way. Will he join me in extending best wishes for St Patrick’s Day to those in all our constituencies who hail from Ireland, from whichever side of the border they originate?
St Patrick’s Day — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Other
Richard Michael John Ogilvie Graham (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Gentleman is being extremely generous in taking interventions this evening. He said that every day is St Patrick’s Day for an Irishman, from whichever side of the border. He will therefore be delighted to hear that Gloucester celebrated St Patrick’s Day on Saturday evening in the Irish club, with an acting mayor, Councillor Collette Finnegan, who was born in Dublin. She is the first ever Irish-born mayor of Gloucester and the first to have worked in the NHS for 30 years. Will he join me in congratulating her and the Irish club?
St Patrick’s Day — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Other
Jonathan Edward Gullis (Conservative, Centre-right): I cannot listen to this amazing description of the hon. Gentleman’s constituency and not think that once the coronavirus crisis is over he must lead a delegation of all MPs to his constituency, ideally on St Patrick’s day. I would certainly like the opportunity to do that, and I hope that he will offer and extend that invitation to us.
St Patrick’s Day — House of Commons, 2020-03-17
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Robin Caspar Walker (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Gentleman is extremely kind, and I would be delighted to take him up on that offer. I think he will find—as we have heard in the debate, including from my hon. Friend the Member for Stoke-on-Trent North (Jonathan Gullis)—that he has many friends across the House who will be keen to join him in his constituency In conclusion, the hon. Gentleman has done the House a great service by bringing today’s celebration of St Patrick’s day to the Chamber, celebrating all that Northern Ireland and his constituency have to offer. The UK Government will continue to work hand in hand with the Northern Ireland Executive in supporting the tourism industry and Northern Ireland’s economy and ensuring that future St Patrick’s days can be celebrated with great success.
Hong Kong National Security Legislation: UK Response — House of Commons, 2020-06-02
Topic: Immigration
Dominic Rennie Raab (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank the right hon. Gentleman and pay tribute to him for his long-standing and principled position on this issue; he is absolutely right, and we appreciate all the cross-party support on this. He asked about those who do not qualify for BNO passport status. I would just point out that we are talking about over 300,000 people who do qualify. Of course, he makes a reasonable point about the cut-off date, but that would not apply to dependants. We have set out—based on principle, in the right way—the commitment that we are making but, as others have already mentioned, what will be important is that the international community comes together to ensure that there are options for the wider group to which the right hon. Gentleman refers.
Hong Kong National Security Legislation: UK Response — House of Commons, 2020-06-02
Topic: Immigration
Julian Murray Lewis (Conservative, Centre-right): As my hon. Friend the Member for Romford (Andrew Rosindell) has often pointed out, only 500 veterans of the former Hong Kong Military Service Corps and royal naval service were offered UK passports in 1997; the rest were disregarded. Has not the time now come to pay this debt of honour to around 250 additional former servants of the British Crown by allowing them and their families the right to relocate to the United Kingdom if they wish or need to do so in future?
Hong Kong National Security Legislation: UK Response — House of Commons, 2020-06-02
Topic: Immigration
Dominic Rennie Raab (Conservative, Centre-right): My right hon. Friend makes an extremely important and forensic point, as ever. As a Government and as a country we are extremely grateful to those who served in the Hong Kong Military Service Corps. He is right that under the scheme, which was introduced in 1990 and ran until July 1997, only a limited number of Hong Kong Military Service Corps personnel who were settled in Hong Kong could apply to register as a British citizen. The Home Office is listening to representations made on behalf of those former service corps personnel who were unable to obtain citizenship at that time too see what, if anything, further may be done.
Hong Kong National Security Legislation: UK Response — House of Commons, 2020-06-02
Topic: Immigration
Steven John Baker (Conservative, Centre-right): Is it not most unlikely that China will step back from its actions at this stage, because what it is doing is a projection of political power struggles at the top of the Communist party? If my right hon. Friend believes, as I do, that that is possible, does he agree that it is therefore necessary for the Government to prepare to permanently welcome a broader scope of people to the UK and, with them, their capital so that they can be permanently established here, where we are still free?
Hong Kong National Security Legislation: UK Response — House of Commons, 2020-06-02
Topic: Immigration
Dominic Rennie Raab (Conservative, Centre-right): The purpose of offering extendable periods of 12 months is that there will be no guillotine that comes down. It allows BNO passport holders to come here. We are removing the six-month limitation. They can apply to work and study, and that will itself create a path to citizenship. I have been engaged with the Home Secretary and, indeed, other Ministers since last September, looking at the detail. There is further consideration that we are giving to it. Of course, it is about giving effect to those rights as effectively as possible, but also doing it in the most straightforward and swift way we possibly can.
Hong Kong National Security Legislation: UK Response — House of Commons, 2020-06-02
Topic: Immigration
Dominic Rennie Raab (Conservative, Centre-right): I entirely share that spirit. As someone whose father and his family, to the extent that they were able to, came here as refugees, I think this country has a proud tradition of standing up as a haven for those who flee persecution, and I know the Home Secretary feels the same way. We absolutely intend to live up to our responsibilities, not just as a matter of obligation but because that is what the British people do at their very best.
Hong Kong National Security Legislation: UK Response — House of Commons, 2020-06-02
Topic: Civil Rights
Stephen Daniel Double (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank my right hon. Friend and also the Home Secretary for the steps they are taking to support the BNO passport holders. China has an appalling track record when it comes to the rights of Christians and other faith groups, and there is growing concern among Church leaders in Hong Kong in light of recent developments, so what assessment has my right hon. Friend made of the particular threat to Christians there, and will he ensure that everything possible is done to defend the rights of belief, worship and freedom of speech in Hong Kong?
Hong Kong National Security Legislation: UK Response — House of Commons, 2020-06-02
Topic: Civil Rights
Dominic Rennie Raab (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank my hon. Friend for his comments, and he is absolutely right to pay tribute to the Home Office and the Home Secretary for assiduously working on this with my Department and others for months. We will stand up for freedom of religion and freedom of expression wherever it stands and whichever minority or group is seeking to avail itself of it. That is a point of principle—that is what we are about—and that applies to Christian minorities and to the Uighur Muslims as well. We have, of course, my hon. Friend the Member for Gillingham and Rainham (Rehman Chishti), the Prime Minister’s special envoy specifically dedicated to working around the world on this issue.