argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
Northern Ireland — House of Commons, 2017-06-26
Topic: Macroeconomics
Andrew Campbell Bowie (Conservative, Centre-right): Will my right hon. Friend confirm that the Government are committed to ensuring that everyone from every nation and region of our United Kingdom is able to share in the proceeds of continued economic growth? As has already been mentioned, one way of doing that has been through the successful city deals, and my constituency has benefited greatly from the Aberdeen city deal. What will the Government do to boost investment in Northern Ireland and spread the benefits of such mechanisms?
Northern Ireland — House of Commons, 2017-06-26
Topic: Macroeconomics
Damian Howard Green (Conservative, Centre-right): I welcome my hon. Friend to his place. He is completely right to point out the benefits of the investment that has been made in his constituency thanks to the Government’s strong economic progress over the past seven years, which enables us to afford regeneration and investment that those who would run the economy down would not be able to afford. I am happy to assure my hon. Friend, and indeed the people of Northern Ireland, that that same strength of the economy can and will be used to regenerate communities all over the United Kingdom, including in Northern Ireland.
Northern Ireland — House of Commons, 2017-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
Damian Howard Green (Conservative, Centre-right): I am happy to agree with my right hon. Friend. It is clear that anything that aids investment, particularly for disadvantaged communities, ought to help to produce a more positive political atmosphere in Northern Ireland. I am sure that Labour Front Benchers heard his other thoughts with interest.
Northern Ireland — House of Commons, 2017-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
Nigel John Mills (Conservative, Centre-right): In welcoming this deal and the increased role of Northern Irish MPs in Westminster affairs, does the First Secretary agree that it is time to look again at the donations to the Northern Irish parties to ensure that they are consistent with the rules on the mainland, both in terms of transparency and of being sourced from outside the UK?
Northern Ireland — House of Commons, 2017-06-26
Topic: Government Operations
Damian Howard Green (Conservative, Centre-right): At this stage, with three days to go before the deadline, the sensible thing for me to point out is that the Conservative party is completely committed to getting the Executive re-established, as is the Democratic Unionist party. We both believe that decisions about the funding of public services in Northern Ireland should be taken by politicians in Northern Ireland. That is the logic of the devolution settlement that we have with the other countries in the United Kingdom, and that is the position we want to get back to in Northern Ireland as well.
Northern Ireland — House of Commons, 2017-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
Richard Michael John Ogilvie Graham (Conservative, Centre-right): Spreading infrastructure development, bringing stability to Government, delivering the Good Friday agreement and helping to implement a soft border with the Republic of Ireland are all good for Northern Ireland and for the United Kingdom. If none of that is welcome to the hon. Member for Perth and North Perthshire (Pete Wishart) and his party, would my right hon. Friend confirm that the Government would be happy to receive back from the Scottish National party the moneys received for the Scottish city deals?
Northern Ireland — House of Commons, 2017-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
Damian Howard Green (Conservative, Centre-right): I rarely disagree with my hon. Friend, but I disagree with him on that point. I do not believe that the SNP speaks for Scotland on this matter. I am interested in the prosperity and future of the Scottish people, just as I am in the people of England, Wales and Northern Ireland. That is the logic of being a Unionist, and I will preserve that logic to the end.
Northern Ireland — House of Commons, 2017-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
Matthew Robert Warman (Conservative, Centre-right): Twenty per cent. more of my constituents voted Conservative in 2017 than did so at the previous opportunity. No one else will blow that trumpet, so I thought I should. Many of them did so because they were inspired by the vision for Brexit that was laid out by Theresa May. Can the First Secretary reassure me that this deal will strengthen Theresa May’s hand when it comes to Brexit and ensure that we can deliver control of our borders and our laws, as was promised at the general election?
Northern Ireland — House of Commons, 2017-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
Damian Howard Green (Conservative, Centre-right): First, I should praise the perspicacity of my hon. Friend’s constituents for massively increasing his vote at the recent election. I am happy to assure him that this deal does indeed make it clear that the vision of a Brexit that works for all parts of this country is reinforced and strengthened by the agreement that we are discussing today.
Northern Ireland — House of Commons, 2017-06-26
Topic: Macroeconomics
Damian Howard Green (Conservative, Centre-right): I am happy to remind the hon. Lady that, under the new funding formula agreed last year, public spending in Wales is roughly £120 a head for every £100 a head spent in England, so the idea that this Government are in some way neglecting the people of Wales—my homeland—is wide of the mark. That figure arises from the Barnett formula and, on top of that, the two city deals involve funding of up to £540 million, which should release private sector investment totalling £4.7 billion. As the hon. Lady can see, the people of Wales are being well served by this Government.
Northern Ireland — House of Commons, 2017-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
Damian Howard Green (Conservative, Centre-right): Since this deal is about Northern Ireland, Scotland will benefit in the way that it has in the past. I am quite happy to repeat the figures that I repeated to the hon. Member for Perth and North Perthshire (Pete Wishart), the SNP spokesman, but I would not want to embarrass him further. Scotland is doing extremely well out of city deals and other things, and it benefits from the Barnett formula as well. Scotland’s problem is that it has a Government in Holyrood that are not very good at running public services. The hon. Member for Edinburgh South (Ian Murray) and I probably ought to agree on that.
Northern Ireland — House of Commons, 2017-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
Damian Howard Green (Conservative, Centre-right): I agree that the extra £1 billion of new money in this deal, which will, as I have repeatedly said, be spent in the interests of developing the prosperity of all the people of Northern Ireland, is hugely welcome both in itself and in this crucial week for the devolution process. I am genuinely surprised that there is not a greater welcome for it among those on the Labour Benches.
Northern Ireland — House of Commons, 2017-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
Damian Howard Green (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend makes a very good point. There are various things about Northern Ireland that make it unique within the United Kingdom. The history is one, and the land border is of course another. That is why it has a specific type of devolved government, which we hope to see restored, and why we will be consulting on various other policy areas as well.
Northern Ireland — House of Commons, 2017-06-26
Topic: Social Welfare
Damian Howard Green (Conservative, Centre-right): I am quite surprised that the hon. Gentleman does not recognise that the addition of large sums of money for promoting infrastructure, for helping people with mental health problems and for helping particularly disadvantaged communities is the most important part of this agreement. It seems to me to be the most important part of the agreement because it will actually help disadvantaged people in Northern Ireland. If he does not accept that that is important, he will lose some of his socialist firebrand credentials, which he loves to parade.
Northern Ireland — House of Commons, 2017-06-26
Topic: Macroeconomics
Damian Howard Green (Conservative, Centre-right): I refer the hon. and learned Lady to what Ruth Davidson has said today. Ruth Davidson is completely in support of this agreement, and she makes the point that, just as Scotland benefits hugely from the strength of the economy that a Conservative Government have provided and that allows us to make all the investment in Scotland that I have already detailed—I am more than happy to detail it again, if the hon. and learned Lady wants—and just as we have treated Scotland fairly, we should treat Northern Ireland, Wales and other parts of England fairly, too. That is what this Government will continue to do. If she wants any new money, I refer her, as I have done repeatedly from this Dispatch Box today, to the UK prosperity fund that we will be introducing after Brexit, from which I hope many communities in Scotland, as well as in other parts of the UK, will benefit.
Northern Ireland — House of Commons, 2017-06-26
Topic: Macroeconomics
Damian Howard Green (Conservative, Centre-right): The new money of £1 billion in this deal is of course outside the Barnett formula. As I explained to the hon. Member for Dwyfor Meirionnydd (Liz Saville Roberts), under the Barnett formula every person in Wales receives approximately £120 for every £100 of public spending for every person in England. It is clear from the figures that Wales is not doing badly out of this formula.
Northern Ireland — House of Commons, 2017-06-26
Topic: Labor
Damian Howard Green (Conservative, Centre-right): I point out to the hon. lady that over that period—indeed, over her period in the House—unemployment has consistently fallen in her area, as in other areas, until it has now reached its lowest level since the mid-1970s. I would have thought she would welcome that; more of her constituents are in work than ever before.
Northern Ireland — House of Commons, 2017-06-26
Topic: Macroeconomics
Damian Howard Green (Conservative, Centre-right): All the areas that the hon. Lady talks about have benefited from an economic policy that has reduced unemployment to its lowest level for more than 40 years. I am happy to assure her that the money in this deal is well within the confines of the fiscal targets we have set ourselves, so we are still able to hit those targets of eliminating the deficit by 2025—by the middle of the next decade—and reducing the structural deficit to no more than 2% by 2020-21. This does not affect our fiscal targets at all.
Northern Ireland — House of Commons, 2017-06-26
Topic: Government Operations
Stephen Charles Kerr (Conservative, Centre-right): Speaking as the new Member for Stirling, where there is a new city region deal in the offing, may I ask my right hon. Friend to confirm for the benefit of Opposition Members that all city deals in Scotland and Wales since 2014 have sat outside the Barnett formula?
Northern Ireland — House of Commons, 2017-06-26
Topic: Macroeconomics
Damian Howard Green (Conservative, Centre-right): Only an SNP Member could idly talk about "only" £678 million; soon we will be talking about real money. [Interruption.] It is a Geoffrey Howe quote. The UK Government and the Scottish Government have joint responsibilities to help the economy of Scotland, and certainly the UK Government are already demonstrably meeting those commitments. I hope the SNP-led Scottish Government continue to do so.
Northern Ireland — House of Commons, 2017-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
Damian Howard Green (Conservative, Centre-right): I can only say to my right hon. Friend what I have said to Opposition Members, which is that this is clearly an enormously sensitive political topic, and the best place for it to be resolved is within the democratic politics of Northern Ireland itself.
Northern Ireland — House of Commons, 2017-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
Damian Howard Green (Conservative, Centre-right): Like all Cabinet members, the Secretary of State for Scotland plays a key role in all decisions made by the Government. The hon. Gentleman’s characterisation of this deal is, as I hope I have shown over the past hour or so, completely wide of the mark
Grenfell Tower Fire/Fire Safety — House of Commons, 2017-06-26
Topic: Government Operations
Sajid Javid (Conservative, Centre-right): I will first attend to the question about Coventry. As I have said, 26 local authority areas have done tests that are public, but not all of them have told the residents of their respective towers. Coventry is not on the list of those that have gone public. I assure the right hon. Gentleman that, if Coventry were one of those, it would contact its local MPs individually. On funding, local authorities also have reserves for unforeseen circumstances. Some local authorities will certainly want to use their reserves.
Grenfell Tower Fire/Fire Safety — House of Commons, 2017-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
Sajid Javid (Conservative, Centre-right): The important point that the hon. Gentleman highlights is that we can benefit from international experience, whether that comes from Australia, Europe or elsewhere. That is certainly one thing we should look at as we learn the lessons.
Grenfell Tower Fire/Fire Safety — House of Commons, 2017-06-26
Topic: Government Operations
Sajid Javid (Conservative, Centre-right): In the light of the pressures on local authorities, it would make sense to look carefully at policies that may help them to meet some of the challenges, and that is something we have already started doing.
Grenfell Tower Fire/Fire Safety — House of Commons, 2017-06-26
Topic: Government Operations
Sajid Javid (Conservative, Centre-right): I very much agree with the hon. Lady’s praise for the leader of Ealing, in particular for the help provided at the Westway centre. Ealing has taken this seriously in its response, like every council across London, but it is important that other councils do the same.
Points of Order — House of Commons, 2017-06-26
Topic: Government Operations
Sajid Javid (Conservative, Centre-right): Further to that point of order, Mr Speaker. There is a debate on the Queen’s Speech tomorrow about local services, so perhaps the hon. Member for Denton and Reddish (Andrew Gwynne) would like to bring the matter up then.
Brexit and Foreign Affairs — House of Commons, 2017-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
David Michael Davis (Conservative, Centre-right): May I start by commending the hon. Member for Edinburgh West (Christine Jardine) for learning the ropes quicker than the rest of us did? I hope she has success with her Adjournment debate The negotiations over our exit from the European Union are fundamental to our future. It is no exaggeration to say that they will shape everything we want to achieve as a country over the coming years and decades. We are doing nothing less than refashioning Britain’s place in the world. Our success or failure will determine and shape all our futures, so it is obviously a great responsibility but also a great opportunity, and it falls on all of us in this place—every one of us in this Parliament—to make a success of it. If we work together and we succeed, we can ensure a strong and growing economy that spreads prosperity and opportunity around the country, underpins well-funded public services and secures a better future for us and our children I have always made it clear that after Brexit the United Kingdom will continue to be the outward-looking global nation it has always been. Indeed, it should be more engaged in the world than ever before, for I firmly believe that last year’s vote to leave the EU was not a call for retrenchment—a call to look in on ourselves. The UK has the means, the ambition and, now, the freedom to play a more positive role in the world.
Brexit and Foreign Affairs — House of Commons, 2017-06-26
Topic: Foreign Trade
Henry Edward Millar Smith (Conservative, Centre-right): I believe that the opportunities provided by Brexit will mean a global Britain. Does my right hon. Friend agree that leaving the customs union and the single market will allow us to forge trade links with countries such as China and the United States, which we cannot do on our own while we are members of the European Union?
Brexit and Foreign Affairs — House of Commons, 2017-06-26
Topic: Agriculture
David Michael Davis (Conservative, Centre-right): Of course. Indeed, Wales is represented on the Joint Ministerial Committee, which has met several times, and that issue has arisen in the committee. The main funding streams for Wales stem from the common agricultural policy and structural funds, both of which have been underpinned by the Treasury until the end of the current financial round.
Brexit and Foreign Affairs — House of Commons, 2017-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
David Michael Davis (Conservative, Centre-right): Not for the moment. I will make some progress, and then give way again. I must be fairly disciplined about giving way, because we have a very tight timetable After exiting the European Union, Britain will still be a country that steps up to its role as a world leader, and that means continuing to help to protect and secure our wider European continent. We want to deepen co-operation with other European states, and to bring European Union policy into a wider global framework. As we have said, we seek a deep and special partnership with the European Union: one that reflects our shared values and history, one that works for all parts of the United Kingdom, our overseas territories and Crown dependencies, and one that delivers for the special circumstances relating to the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, because no one wants to see a return to the hard border. It should be a partnership like no other. It should be underpinned by ambitious agreements on free trade and customs, covering goods and services and seeking the greatest possible tariff and barrier-free trade.
Brexit and Foreign Affairs — House of Commons, 2017-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
Brett Charles Anthony Elphicke (Conservative, Centre-right): The whole point of a negotiation is that one must be prepared and ready not to do a deal, because one can then ensure that one has strength in the negotiations. To that extent, does my right hon. Friend agree that it is important for us to be ready to "do customs" at places such as my constituency of Dover, deal or no deal?
Brexit and Foreign Affairs — House of Commons, 2017-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
David Michael Davis (Conservative, Centre-right): No. If my hon. Friend will forgive me, I must make some progress A large part of my job—almost the invisible part—is ensuring that we are prepared for contingencies, and that is happening as we speak We have also made it clear that the new partnership must be overseen by a new and independent impartial dispute mechanism. That cannot and will not be the European Court of Justice. No nation outside the European Union submits to the direct jurisdiction of the ECJ, and neither will the United Kingdom. We will start to move towards the new partnership by securing the rights of citizens on both sides. I know that everyone in the House will agree with me that European Union citizens make a huge contribution to our society. We have heard today from the Prime Minister about what the approach will entail, but the overarching principle is that European citizens living in the United Kingdom will continue to lead their lives in exactly the same way as British citizens with the same rights and responsibilities.
Brexit and Foreign Affairs — House of Commons, 2017-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
David Michael Davis (Conservative, Centre-right): I have given way quite a lot so far. I am going to be disciplined. No! I am practising being masterful Not everything in these negotiations will be easy. They will be complex, and I have no doubt that at times they will even be confrontational. However, I am convinced that both sides want to secure close co-operation and a deep new partnership.
Brexit and Foreign Affairs — House of Commons, 2017-06-26
Topic: International Affairs
David Michael Davis (Conservative, Centre-right): No, not for the moment. In a moment Last year, in the referendum, we received a national instruction, which we will undertake in a way that serves the national interest. The instruction from the British people was for us to take back control of our borders, our money and our laws. Both the Conservative party and the Labour party campaigned on manifestos that promised to exit the European Union and end the free movement of people. Those two manifestos received more than 80% of the popular vote, so failing to deliver on that instruction is not an option for those of us who count ourselves as democrats. Ending the free movement of people means leaving the single market, as the EU has made abundantly clear to those who have cared to listen.
Brexit and Foreign Affairs — House of Commons, 2017-06-26
Topic: Foreign Trade
David Michael Davis (Conservative, Centre-right): No. What the hon. Gentleman is describing is something like the Court of Justice of the European Free Trade Association States—the EFTA court—where there is a parallelism. That is not the aim. The aim is to have an independent arbitration arrangement, as is normal. For instance, the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement does exactly that. It has nominees from either side, and an independent chair. That is the sort of thing that we have in mind.
Brexit and Foreign Affairs — House of Commons, 2017-06-26
Topic: Foreign Trade
David Michael Davis (Conservative, Centre-right): No. I am afraid that the hon. Gentleman has to learn some discipline at some point in life. I thought discipline was his thing, but there we are Ending the free movement of people means leaving the single market, as the European Union has made abundantly clear to those who have cared to listen. We all accept the need to protect existing UK businesses in the European Union. Leaving the single market does not mean losing access to that market, which is why we are proposing a new, ambitious free trade agreement. But this is not just about protecting existing markets, as my hon. Friend the Member for Crawley (Henry Smith) said. To deliver the national interest, we must seize on our new freedoms in terms of trade to create jobs and lift living standards. Britain must get out into the world, forge its own path and be a true beacon for free trade.
Brexit and Foreign Affairs — House of Commons, 2017-06-26
Topic: Foreign Trade
David Michael Davis (Conservative, Centre-right): No That means leaving the customs union, so that Britain will, for the first time in over 40 years, be able to take full advantage of growing markets across the world and determine a trade policy that is fashioned not around the interests of 28 countries but around those of one country. We will have a trade policy that suits this country and this country alone.
Brexit and Foreign Affairs — House of Commons, 2017-06-26
Topic: Foreign Trade
David Michael Davis (Conservative, Centre-right): No The European Commission itself says that 90% of the future growth in world trade will come from outside the European Union. This has already been reflected in the long-term decline in the share of British goods that go to the European Union, while our global trade has increased dramatically.
Brexit and Foreign Affairs — House of Commons, 2017-06-26
Topic: Foreign Trade
Victoria Grace Ford (Conservative, Centre-right): I have just come from the European Parliament. Does the Secretary of State agree that many colleagues across Europe want a deep trading partnership with Britain, based on keeping strong standards for consumers and other such standards, and therefore a special, bespoke relationship for our trade?