argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement — House of Lords, 2021-01-08
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Frederick Butler (Crossbench, Unknown): My Lords, I address my two minutes to prospects for the financial services sector, drawing attention to my interests in the register. Many have criticised the thinness of the agreement in respect of financial services, but the surprising thing is that so few cries of alarm have been heard from practitioners themselves. In the next three months, there are to be negotiations about access. Of course, we should not expect the EU to make thing easy. Paris and, particularly, Frankfurt have long aspired to challenge London’s supremacy, and this week the Governor of the Bank of England warned that becoming a rule-taker would be too high a price to pay for equivalence. Nevertheless, I am even more confident than my old friend the noble Lord, Lord Griffiths of Fforestfach, about the prospects for this sector First, the UK financial services sector is innovative. It offers a complex of services, an ecosystem that, combined with the asset of the English language, is difficult to replace. Secondly, the EU would find it difficult to discriminate against the UK in this field without also cutting itself off from other markets such as the United States. Thirdly, financial services are not like goods; they are not material items that can be identified and controlled as they cross borders. In the lead-up to Brexit, fewer jobs have been moved to Europe than pessimists predicted. It may be that a greater number of financial transactions will be conducted and taxed on the continent, to the cost of the UK Exchequer, but I believe that they will still be conducted by UK-based companies. In this area, as in others, the market is likely to decide. The test will be the quality of services that our financial services sector provides, and in this I believe that we can be confident.
Domestic Abuse Bill — House of Lords, 2021-02-10
Topic: Housing
Ruth Deech (Crossbench, Unknown): My Lords, I am proud to stand with the other signatories to the amendment, which is eminently sensible. Sadly, our discussions on the Bill have uncovered the nasty elements of the ways in which one human being can behave towards another. This is another example Stereotypically, it is the mother with children most in need of staying put, housing and avoiding children changing school. It is much more difficult to rehouse her if he causes her to flee. We must therefore remove the power of the abuser who is a joint tenant to remove the victim. The amendment would allow the victim to apply for a tenancy transfer, even if she has already been forced to flee. He, the perpetrator, could potentially cause rent arrears and damage to the property, for which she would be responsible It is a shame that the amendment cannot apply to private tenancies. Are there no alternatives? At the moment, a victim might obtain a temporary court order, such as a non-molestation or occupation order, but they are time-limited and could cost up to £5,000 at legal aid rates—more if there is no legal aid. The perpetrator might return. He may well not consent to a tenancy transfer and there is no guarantee that the landlord would grant a sole tenancy to the victim in the alternative. He, the perpetrator, might vindictively give notice to end the tenancy. Therefore, if there is a temporary eviction, it would have to be followed up by a transfer of tenancy action, again costing thousands. A married victim who is seeking a divorce could apply for a tenancy transfer under the Matrimonial Causes Act or Section 1 of the Children Act. This is all slow and expensive We need to avoid those complications and expenses that mean that the victim has to become homeless and start finding a home all over again. In the case of social housing, the provider can evict the perpetrator only after the victim has left the shared property. Again, she is put in a position of rendering herself homeless and hoping that someone will take care of her immediate housing needs. That is just not good enough because it is all disjointed and no-one has pulled together all the strings and pieces of legislation that might protect the victim, albeit imperfectly.
Domestic Abuse Bill — House of Lords, 2021-02-10
Topic: Civil Rights
Ann Butler-Sloss (Crossbench, Unknown): My Lords, I declare my interest, as set out in the register, as chair of the National Commission on Forced Marriage. I ask the Minister that any guidance on training that is given to local authorities has added to it that some women may be victims of forced marriage and may therefore need some specialist support.
Domestic Abuse Bill — House of Lords, 2021-02-10
Topic: Civil Rights
Ann Butler-Sloss (Crossbench, Unknown): My Lords, I strongly agree with the Minister that domestic abuse should be gender neutral. I particularly support the noble Baroness, Lady Featherstone, in what she said about Amendment 186. But I ask the Minister to take into account in the proposed strategy that some gay men suffer from serious coercive control from family members trying to force them into a forced marriage.
His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh — House of Lords, 2021-04-12
Topic: Other
Frances D'Souza (Crossbench, Unknown): My Lords, it is only now, following the death of His Royal Highness Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, that we can begin to appreciate the wide range of his interests, activities and achievements. He had an extraordinarily full life; he was "action man". Prince Philip, of all people, was unsuited to conformity with some of the strictures of royal life, but he did conform, albeit in his own inimitable style, for over 70 years Her Majesty the Queen’s words about her husband on the occasion of their golden wedding anniversary in 1997— "I, and his whole family, and this and many other countries, owe him a debt greater than he would ever claim, or we shall ever know"— are heartfelt, generous and true. We all anticipate that history will take careful note of these words and continue to commemorate Prince Philip’s remarkable contribution to the life of this and other nations. Among many millions of others, I offer Her Majesty the Queen my sadness at his passing and at the immense loss that this represents for the Queen.
His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh — House of Lords, 2021-04-12
Topic: Other
Michael Berkeley (Crossbench, Unknown): My Lords, much has rightly been said about the Duke’s sense of duty and his support for Her Majesty the Queen. The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme has, as we have heard, literally been a lifesaver for so many young people. Perhaps I may concentrate on two other aspects of his character that he has happily bequeathed to his children and which have also been praised. Those who have come into contact with members of the Royal Family will be well aware of the sense of humour—the almost mischievous sense of humour—that they delight in. It is essential, really, given the lives that they live tirelessly on our behalf The Duke of Edinburgh had a particular penchant for the ridiculous and for the debunking of the obviously foolish. Aspects of that have clearly and joyously been passed on to the next generation. He was a patron of the Cartoon Art Trust and I like to think that he would have chuckled at Martin Rowson’s cartoon in Saturday’s Guardian which depicted Prince Philip arriving at the pearly gates and observing some angels in mid-flight above, exclaiming with astonishment, "What bloody big grouse they have up here!" Prince Philip also had an extraordinary attribute that he has bequeathed to his family—his love of nature: painting, wildlife, and the conservation of the lands and waters it inhabits. When I was a young teenager and a boatman at Morston—the best job I ever had, and I am afraid the only one I probably had in common with Prince Philip—he would visit the north Norfolk bird sanctuary on Blakeney Point. His passion for the birds and the seals was palpable and infectious. This espousal of environmental causes could not be more relevant to our times and the problems that we and following generations are going to have to solve Following on from Prince Philip’s own decrying of unnecessary fuss and length, I shall keep my thoughts short, given that so much has been said so eloquently already. However, I would like to finish on a note of sympathy and sadness. I learned from the death of my own father, Lennox, that however much you might expect a death due to illness or old age, nothing actually prepares you for it, as Prince Philip’s daughter, the Princess Royal, has already observed. The reality, the degree of shock, and the void that suddenly rears up, mean that my thoughts and heartfelt condolences and sympathy are respectfully offered to Her Majesty the Queen and her family.
His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh — House of Lords, 2021-04-12
Topic: Public Lands
Usha Kumari Prasher (Crossbench, Unknown): My Lords, the life of His Royal Highness Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh, was epitomised by selfless service to the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth and the enormous number of charities and voluntary organisations that he was associated with. His legacy will endure through the work that he did with these organisations. As we heard, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, which he founded, touched the lives of so many young people. He helped to inspire and instil in them confidence and a vision of citizenship My enduring memory of His Royal Highness is meeting him on several occasions when I was chairman of the Royal Commonwealth Society, of which Her Majesty is the patron. He was always humorous, engaging, informal and forthright—qualities I truly appreciated and admired. He was deeply interested in the work of the Commonwealth and acutely aware of the value of the Commonwealth. As we heard earlier, in 1956 he founded the Duke of Edinburgh’s study conferences, a pioneering forum for bringing together emerging leaders within civil society. This initiative is a true mark of his vision. Along with Lord Luce, I had the privilege of meeting him to talk about the Commonwealth. His insights about the potential of the Commonwealth were thoughtful and inspiring. He understood what humanity can achieve through co-operation and bringing people together Now, as chairman of Cumberland Lodge, an educational charity based in Windsor Great Park, I am aware of the impact that he has had as the ranger of the park. Until recently, he was a very visible presence in the park. Characteristically, as a ranger, he saw himself as a temporary custodian for future generations. He took an active role in overseeing many developments during his time in office, including the introduction of red deer into the deer park and the development of several gardens, a visitor centre and the Virginia Water pavilion. I live at the edge of Windsor Great Park and have enjoyed the full benefit of his work, particularly during the pandemic Her Majesty the Queen is the patron of Cumberland Lodge, and Prince Philip visited the lodge many times with Her Majesty. His last visit to Cumberland Lodge was when he came to celebrate our 70th anniversary. Both the Queen and Prince Philip especially requested to spend the majority of the time talking with young scholars. His Highness was in his element when in conversation with young people, talking with them about their research and their views. He immediately put them at ease and the scholars were amazed at his keen interest in their views, his friendliness and his informality We owe His Royal Highness a great deal of gratitude for his quiet and unassuming service and for his contribution in so many ways, but particularly to the lives of young people. We mourn his passing away and send our heartfelt condolences to Her Majesty and the Royal Family, but we also celebrate the life of an exceptional person who gave selfless service to the country and the Commonwealth. His legacy will endure for generations.
His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh — House of Lords, 2021-04-12
Topic: Other
Rajinder Paul Loomba (Crossbench, Unknown): My Lords, His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh was an extraordinary and remarkable man. His support and dedication to the Queen as a husband and consort for over seven decades will not be matched. His presence, calm nature, patience when listening and appetite for a jovial sense of humour will be missed. In one of her speeches, Her Majesty the Queen said about her husband: "He is someone who doesn’t take easily to compliments but he has, quite simply, been my strength and stay all these years, and I, and his whole family, and this and many other countries, owe him a debt greater than he would ever claim, or we shall ever know." Listening to the tributes paid by His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales and his siblings, as well as Andrew Marr’s interviews yesterday with Sir John Major and Joanna Lumley, I believe in every word that Her Majesty the Queen said in her speech about her beloved husband The Princess Royal has said that she would like to walk in the footsteps of her father, who always thought of helping others. Through the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, he helped more than a million youths in over 100 countries succeed in their lives. I am proud to say that my daughter and two granddaughters are recipients of this award I had the good fortune and honour of meeting him at a London First event many years ago. He asked me, "What do you do?"; I replied that I was a businessman but also ran my own charity, which supported widows and their children around the world. Then I mentioned that there are over 258 million widows around the world. His quick and spontaneous response was, "Have you counted them all?" I saw his sense of humour first-hand. I was left with immense pleasure after that discussion and meeting with him. It will always stay with me.
His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh — House of Lords, 2021-04-12
Topic: Mixed Topics
Ilora Gillian Finlay (Crossbench, Unknown): My Lords, it is a great privilege to speak today in recognition of the enormous contribution to our country made by His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and in so doing to offer sincere and heartfelt condolences to Her Majesty the Queen and all his family. For our modern times, Her Majesty and His Royal Highness have represented stability, perseverance, family values and a deep commitment to a strong moral compass, in touch with the reality that has been the lives of others, even though they were living so differently from the rest In Wales, His Royal Highness’s actions in 1966 at the time of the Aberfan disaster are etched into the hearts of those who still grieve for the children who died, and who saw that he recognised the overwhelming tragedy that had struck, in particular for those parents—their sentence to live with to their dying day. When I had the privilege of being seated next to His Royal Highness at lunch, there was nothing superficial or trivial about our conversation. He quizzed me about end-of-life care and pain control, recounting some deaths he knew of personally. It was a conversation that came about because of my work. It was an honour to be invited to the British embassy in Paris for the centenary of the entente cordiale celebrations with the director of the cancer centre Centre François Baclesse in Caen, who was establishing palliative care services in Normandy with education courses. When he was introduced to Her Majesty and His Royal Highness, Professor Heron was overwhelmingly impressed that, despite a day that had been packed with engagements, His Royal Highness showed knowledge of and interest in the new technology developments and computerisation innovations being spearheaded across France. Professor Heron called me this weekend with fond memories of how important His Royal Highness’s enthusiasm and humour were, treasuring mementos of that day. Those cordial links between Normandy and Wales have endured Today, in expressing thanks for an amazing life lived to the full and for the service given to the nation over decades by His Royal Highness, we are able to express to Her Majesty and all his family how aware we all are of that deep loss and gnawing emptiness of grief at the finality of life’s close. To them all, our deepest condolences are sincerely offered.
His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh — House of Lords, 2021-04-12
Topic: Other
Indarjit Singh (Crossbench, Unknown): My Lords, His Royal Highness Prince Philip served our country with a rare mix of wisdom and boundless energy. His contribution was immense, particularly in inspiring the young by promoting initiative and commitment in establishing the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. My children and grandchildren have benefited from the challenges and the sense of achievement in gaining a coveted Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. It is a scheme that takes youngsters away from their comfort zone in building resilience, new skills and new friendships I first met the Duke when I was visiting Buckingham Palace for some function. He was coming down the stairs as I was going up, and I began to greet him. I had said only couple of words when, to my amazement, he stopped me and with a huge grin said: "Indarjit, ‘Thought for the Day’. You bring us the wise words of Guru Nanak." I met him on other occasions when he was chairing meetings of the Sacred Literature Trust, which used to meet at Buckingham Palace. He had a deep knowledge of other faiths and captivated us all with his wisdom and wry sense of humour You can get a full picture of a person by looking at their interests. The Duke’s included developing fitness and resilience in the young, caring for the environment and, like Her Majesty herself, understanding the common thrust of our different religions, which is something central to Sikh teachings. I join others in the Sikh community in praying for strength for Her Majesty and the Royal Family to bear their sad loss. The passing of Prince Philip is a loss to us all.
Covid-19: Status Certification — House of Lords, 2021-04-29
Topic: Civil Rights
Deborah Bull (Crossbench, Unknown): My Lords, arts organisations that are charities or in receipt of public funds have a duty to uphold and champion equality, inclusion and diversity. Unless government makes explicit how the Equality Act will be central to any Covid-19 certification scheme, these organisations will be put in an untenable position, unable to comply with their own charitable purposes or the conditions of public funding. How will government address this?
Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Bill — House of Lords, 2021-04-16
Topic: Mixed Topics
Ann Butler-Sloss (Crossbench, Unknown): My Lords, I have owned dogs, cats, horses and, occasionally, sheep. Now, one small dog rules our life. It is an interesting fact that this country is passionate about animals, and animal charities get far more money than children’s charities do. However, the darkest element has been cogently described by the noble Lord, Lord Randall of Uxbridge This is an excellent Bill, which has the huge advantage of being very short. It increases the sentence, which is absolutely necessary, and brings us into line with the other parts of the United Kingdom. However, I agree with the noble Baroness, Lady Mallalieu, that education is an important factor and something that the Department for Education might perhaps take on board, once this legislation has been passed. I congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Randall of Uxbridge, on bringing forward the Bill, and I also congratulate those who did so in the Commons. I wish it well.
Trade Bill — House of Lords, 2021-01-06
Topic: Mixed Topics
Rosel Boycott (Crossbench, Unknown): I support Amendment 22 in the name of the noble Lord, Lord Grantchester, and will vote for it. On the previous day of the debate, I spoke at some length about the importance of ensuring that our trade standards are consistent with our high standards of food and animal welfare, and our climate and environmental obligations in particular. I will not repeat those arguments here, because I have bored noble Lords enough by my concerns about public health and food, but this amendment is important and, without it, we run a lot of danger of leaving ourselves open to standards that are below ours and will damage our health, animal health and environment More generally, in 2020, we saw a small reduction in emissions globally as a result of the pandemic that we still have. This reduction should not be a blip; we need to see it as a more permanent arrangement and build on it. If we do not have considerations such as those in this amendment brought to the front of trade policy, we risk doubling down on our old ways of trading, increasing global emissions again. We need to use our trade power for good and to encourage others to produce carbon-neutral products. If we do not, even if we reduce emissions at home, we will import them from abroad. The same general principle applies to the food that we import into this country which we expect ourselves and, more importantly, our children to eat This amendment is about parliamentary scrutiny, which I am sure will carry favour with many noble Lords. It would not make it illegal to import products that were produced to a lower standard but, as the noble Lord, Lord Grantchester, has so clearly set out, it would require consultation and a vote in Parliament to approve any deviation from existing standards. In essence, it is a compromise that would give our farmers as well as the huge swathes of the population which have made their voices heard in the last few months—about their determination to maintain not just good food standards but transparency in food standards—peace of mind without making trade impossible Finally, I specifically ask the Minister what he and his department know—I am sure they are aware of it—about the Agreement on Climate Change, Trade and Sustainability, or ACCTS, as it is called. This is led by New Zealand. Nations are free to sign up to it to show that they are committed to using their trade policy to support action on climate change. As we have now left the EU and the transition period is over, can we join this agreement to show our intent in this hugely important year before COP 26? I will return to ACCTS when I talk about labelling later in the debate. I thank the noble Lord, Lord Grantchester, for his amendment and give him my wholehearted support.
Trade Bill — House of Lords, 2021-01-06
Topic: Other
Mary Watkins (Crossbench, Unknown): We now come to the group consisting of Amendment 24. I remind noble Lords that Members other than the mover and the Minister may speak only once and that short questions of elucidation are discouraged. Anyone wishing to press this amendment to a Division must make that clear in the debate Amendment 24
Trade Bill — House of Lords, 2021-01-06
Topic: Other
Mary Watkins (Crossbench, Unknown): We now come to the group consisting of Amendment 46. I remind noble Lords that Members other than the mover and the Minister may speak only once. Short questions of elucidation are discouraged. Anyone wishing to press this amendment to a Division must make that clear in debate Schedule 2: Regulations under Part 1 Amendment 46