argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
Covid-19: Fiscal Support — House of Commons, 2020-09-15
Topic: Social Welfare
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): Throughout this crisis we have endeavoured to make sure that the most vulnerable in our society get the help that they deserve, which is why results published in July showed that our interventions have meant that those on the lowest incomes have received the most support, through the temporary increase to universal credit, the hardship fund delivered through local councils and, indeed, increases to the local housing allowance to help people with their rental payments.
Covid-19: Fiscal Support — House of Commons, 2020-09-15
Topic: Labor
Melvyn John Stride (Conservative, Centre-right): My right hon. Friend has done a tremendous amount to support jobs in our country, but does he agree that many thousands, perhaps even hundreds of thousands, of jobs are going to be viable after covid is dealt with but will not make it unless they are provided with further targeted support after the end of October?
Covid-19: Fiscal Support — House of Commons, 2020-09-15
Topic: Macroeconomics
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): As ever, I am grateful for the advice from my right hon. Friend. He is right that businesses do need support, which is why many of the interventions that we have put in place—for example, the business rates holidays and, indeed, our support for the economy and jobs through initiatives such as our stamp duty cut to catalyse the housing market—last through to next year. I hope he will be reassured that throughout this crisis I have not hesitated to act in creative and effective ways to support jobs and employment, and I will continue to do so.
Covid-19: Fiscal Support — House of Commons, 2020-09-15
Topic: Macroeconomics
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Lady claims that it was woefully inadequate; the VAT reduction was the single biggest ask from the UK hospitality industry. Not only was that delivered, but it was delivered with an extra initiative, eat out to help out, which proved to provide an enormous fillip to the reopening of that part of the economy. It is also worth bearing in mind that all the businesses engaged in that industry are not paying any business rates at all until March next year.
Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme — House of Commons, 2020-09-15
Topic: Macroeconomics
Richard John Holden (Conservative, Centre-right): Thousands of jobs in my constituency of North West Durham have been protected by the Government over this period, but my constituents are aware that such levels of taxpayer support cannot go on indefinitely and also want to see new jobs being created. Will my right hon. Friend enlighten me as to how many jobs we are looking at getting through the kickstart scheme, which is now coming forward to help to get new jobs into the economy?
Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme — House of Commons, 2020-09-15
Topic: Labor
Stephen Paul Barclay (Conservative, Centre-right): The £2 billion kickstart scheme has the potential to support more than 250,000 young people and, as my hon. Friend is well aware, it is part of a comprehensive package of £30 billion of support that my right hon. Friend set out as part of his plan for jobs in the summer economic update.
Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme — House of Commons, 2020-09-15
Topic: Labor
Stephen Paul Barclay (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Lady is simply wrong. What she ignores is the fact that my right hon. Friend has put in place a furlough bonus as support that goes beyond October to retain that link for employees to come back. That is part of a wider package of measures that goes alongside the furlough and stands comparison with the most generous in the world.
Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme — House of Commons, 2020-09-15
Topic: Labor
Stephen Paul Barclay (Conservative, Centre-right): There seems to be some confusion because, just last week in the debate that we had in this House, the shadow Chancellor actually recognised that the Chancellor had indeed listened with regard to the design of the furlough. In fact, they claimed credit for the role, which I salute, of the trade unions and others. So we have listened, but the reality is that the furlough pays a higher rate of people’s wages than the scheme in Spain. It supports a wider range of businesses than the one in New Zealand and the scheme runs for twice as long as that in Denmark. That shows the flexibility and the willingness to listen on the part of my right hon. Friend.
Covid-19: Employment — House of Commons, 2020-09-15
Topic: Macroeconomics
Stephen Paul Barclay (Conservative, Centre-right): The Government have put in place a £190 billion plan to protect people’s jobs, incomes and businesses, one of the largest and most comprehensive economic responses in the world, and that includes the £30 billion made available under the plan for jobs.
Covid-19: Employment — House of Commons, 2020-09-15
Topic: Labor
Mark James Harper (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank the Treasury team for the support that they have provided so far. My experience during the summer was that there was a great deal of support from local businesses for the variety of schemes, particularly those in the hospitality and tourism sectors, which are very important in my constituency. Turning to the future though, we must make sure that we provide the job opportunities that we are going to need. In Gloucestershire, we had a lift-off event last Friday, organised by my hon. Friend the Member for Gloucester (Richard Graham) and supported by all six Gloucestershire MPs, where we focused on skills and training and brought together a range of employers. That is the kind of thing that I would like my right hon. Friends in the Treasury to think about supporting. It is the future we need to focus on, not the past.
Covid-19: Employment — House of Commons, 2020-09-15
Topic: Labor
Stephen Paul Barclay (Conservative, Centre-right): I pay tribute to my right hon. Friend for that event. I saw the read out and how positive it had been. He is right to focus on that forward piece, using the package of measures that my right hon. Friend set out. That includes, for example, the payment to employers for each new apprenticeship—up to £2,000 for those over 25—the £2 billion kickstart scheme, but also other schemes such as the tripling in the number of traineeships. Events such as the one he mentioned are ones that I am sure other Members will wish to follow.
Eat Out to Help Out Scheme — House of Commons, 2020-09-15
Topic: Macroeconomics
Alexander Jesse Norman (Conservative, Centre-right): I am delighted that the eat out to help out scheme has been so enthusiastically taken up in Beaconsfield, as it has been around the country, and I thank my hon. Friend for her personal service in this important area. She will know that the Chancellor’s plan for jobs and support for over 150,000 businesses and the effort to protect 2.4 million jobs are all part of a package. To them, of course, as she will know, the Government have also added a reduced rate of VAT for tourist attractions, which will run through to 12 January next year. It all fits together as part of a wider picture of support for these very important sectors of the economy.
Eat Out to Help Out Scheme — House of Commons, 2020-09-15
Topic: Macroeconomics
Alexander Jesse Norman (Conservative, Centre-right): There is a danger of a bidding contest between colleagues over the number of meals eaten under the eat out to help out scheme. I would dissuade them from that. In answer to my hon. Friend’s question, however, I would say that there is this wider package. Of course the Treasury keeps all its measures under review, but it is a pretty formidable combination of VAT reductions, business rates relief and billions in tax deferrals and loans.
Eat Out to Help Out Scheme — House of Commons, 2020-09-15
Topic: Macroeconomics
Alexander Jesse Norman (Conservative, Centre-right): I can tell my hon. Friend that 67 local businesses registered for the scheme and that it was used 53,000 times in Bridgend, which, while not like the heroic figures we have seen elsewhere, will have provided a very important boost to the local economy. I am sure that he will have had the experience that Members across the House will have had of walking into a café or restaurant and having the proprietor say, "Thank you so much. It has made a vital difference at a critical time of year for us."
Covid-19: Business Support — House of Commons, 2020-09-15
Topic: Labor
Abimbola Afolami (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank the Minister for his answer. Will he and the Treasury consider reviewing the rules of the furlough scheme to deal with cases where some small businesses, particularly one in my constituency, missed out on that scheme through administrative error and, in effect, paid staff when that could have been done through the furlough? Will he discuss that with me separately to see whether we could review the rules to deal with that sort of administrative mistake?
Covid-19: Business Support — House of Commons, 2020-09-15
Topic: Macroeconomics
John Philip Glen (Conservative, Centre-right): Obviously, the scheme has helped 1.2 million employers, and that involves 9.6 million jobs. I am happy to engage with my hon. Friend on the specific example he raises. No appeal process is available for those who have made administrative errors, but if a mistake has been made by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, a complaints procedure can be followed. I will follow up on this with him personally.
Covid-19: Business Support — House of Commons, 2020-09-15
Topic: Macroeconomics
Miriam Joy Cates (Conservative, Centre-right): This Government’s support for businesses throughout the pandemic has been wide-ranging and delivered at speed. Without the real-time information held by HMRC, it would have taken significantly longer for those grants to reach employers and many more jobs would have been lost. Digital tax administration not only helps HMRC, but cuts costs to businesses, so what is the Treasury doing to build on those successes and make the UK one of the most digitally advanced places in the world to run a business?
Covid-19: Business Support — House of Commons, 2020-09-15
Topic: Macroeconomics
John Philip Glen (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend is right; it is incumbent on the Government, in all Departments, to look at how we can refine the way we operate, to be more effective. That is why in July my right hon. Friend the Chancellor published a 10-year tax administration strategy, setting out our vision for a modern system, which will involve extending making tax digital to more taxpayers. That is a first step, and we hope it will bring us to a world-leading situation in this country.
Covid-19: Business Support — House of Commons, 2020-09-15
Topic: Macroeconomics
John Philip Glen (Conservative, Centre-right): Clearly, every intervention has a cost, and that measure provided support for 150,000 businesses, protecting 2.4 million jobs. As we approach future fiscal events, all contributions and businesses cases for changes will be looked at carefully by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor. I am sure that he has heard my hon. Friend’s representations today.
Covid-19: High Street Businesses — House of Commons, 2020-09-15
Topic: Social Welfare
Alexander Jesse Norman (Conservative, Centre-right): As the Chancellor has already highlighted, the Government’s intention has been to support vulnerable people, vulnerable businesses and vulnerable families across the country. As he has also pointed out, the evidence appears to be that we have been very successful, with the most targeted support being most heavily felt at the lower end of the income spectrum. If numbers in the aggregate do not please the hon. Gentleman, let me simply tell him the reaction of one chief executive of a retail business in this country, who said to me that without the furlough scheme, that company alone would have laid off 30,000 people. With the furlough scheme, it has been able to continue and recover.
Coronavirus Job Support Schemes — House of Commons, 2020-09-15
Topic: Macroeconomics
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): The Government have put in place a broad set of policies to support businesses and individuals through this crisis. The coronavirus job retention scheme and self-employment income support scheme have supported more than 9 million and 2.7 million jobs and people respectively. As the economy reopens, we must adjust our support to ensure that people continue to get back to work, protecting the UK economy and people’s livelihoods.
Coronavirus Job Support Schemes — House of Commons, 2020-09-15
Topic: Labor
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): The furlough scheme, as it is currently constructed, is flexible. It was a key demand from business groups and unions, which we responded to. As the economy is slowly reopening over the late summer and autumn, the furlough scheme has adapted to that, allowing businesses to bring back their employees in a flexible fashion, and that is exactly what they are currently doing.
Coronavirus Job Support Schemes — House of Commons, 2020-09-15
Topic: Labor
Alun Hugh Cairns (Conservative, Centre-right): I congratulate my right hon. Friend on the introduction of the self-employment income support scheme in particular, but does he recognise that it cannot continue indefinitely? Does he also agree that the self-employed are some of the most innovative individuals in our economy, and it is time to release their innovation to kick-start us?
Coronavirus Job Support Schemes — House of Commons, 2020-09-15
Topic: Macroeconomics
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): My right hon. Friend is absolutely right. Now that we have begun to reopen the economy, it is right that our support becomes differentiated and the focus shifts to getting people back to work. It is not possible to sustain this level of intervention. I fully agree with him: those who are entrepreneurial and self-employed deserve our support, and they will continue to get it as we drive our recovery out of this crisis.
Coronavirus Job Support Schemes — House of Commons, 2020-09-15
Topic: Social Welfare
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): I respectfully disagree with the hon. Lady. Most people in the country recognise that the Government have provided unprecedented support at this difficult time to millions of people, as well as to hundreds of thousands, if not millions of businesses. Although people may not have been able to get support in the exact way they would have wanted, across the spectrum, whether through the welfare system and local authorities, or through banks and the provision of credit, we have ensured that some form of support is available to the vast majority of the British public.
Coronavirus Job Support Schemes — House of Commons, 2020-09-15
Topic: Social Welfare
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Lady is slightly confused. On one hand she speaks about people who were not eligible for the self-employment scheme, but those who were excluded earned more than £50,000 and were in the top 5% of all earners, with an average median salary of £200,000. In the same question she speaks about targeting support to those who cannot afford food. She should figure out which issue she cares about.
Coronavirus Job Support Schemes — House of Commons, 2020-09-15
Topic: Macroeconomics
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): I hear what the hon. Lady says and will certainly reflect on it. I refer her to my response to the question from my hon. Friend the Member for Penistone and Stocksbridge (Miriam Cates) about the importance of a digital taxation system, which I know the hon. Lady’s Committee will have an interest in. As throughout this crisis, our ability to respond in the way that we would want to is often limited by the information that we hold. My right hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury has put out a 10-year tax administration strategy that will ensure that our tax system collects in real time the information we need about people and businesses up and down this country, so that, should something like this happen again, the Government can respond in the way that they would want to, as quickly as possible.
Export Costs: Northern Ireland to Great Britain — House of Commons, 2020-09-15
Topic: Foreign Trade
Alexander Jesse Norman (Conservative, Centre-right): The Government have been actively engaging with businesses and fully committed to providing them with the information and support needed to prepare for the end of the transition period in Northern Ireland. As was set out in the Command Paper, the Government’s position is that there should be no additional process, paperwork or restrictions on Northern Ireland goods arriving in the rest of the UK.
Export Costs: Northern Ireland to Great Britain — House of Commons, 2020-09-15
Topic: International Affairs
Alexander Jesse Norman (Conservative, Centre-right): As the right hon. Gentleman will know, these topics are currently very live matters of discussion between this country and the EU, and I am not going to comment on that. However, we are, as a Government, very engaged with this issue across a number of different Departments, and we will be looking to support the principles and positions set out in the protocol as we go forward.
Energy-Efficient Homes: Support — House of Commons, 2020-09-15
Topic: Energy
Olukemi Olufunto Badenoch (Conservative, Centre-right): The Government recognise the importance of energy efficiency in achieving our climate change objectives and tackling fuel poverty. That is why in July my right hon. Friend the Chancellor announced over £2 billion of new funding to upgrade homes through the green homes grant scheme. In addition, we have a range of policies in place to support home energy efficiency improvements.
Official Development Assistance — House of Commons, 2020-09-15
Topic: International Affairs
Stephen Paul Barclay (Conservative, Centre-right): I know my hon. Friend takes a close and expert interest in this issue, not least through her work on the relevant Select Committee. Individual Departments are responsible for ensuring that all money spent as ODA meets the criteria of the OECD Development Assistance Committee, and that it is spent through the powers of the International Development Act 2002, which requires funding likely to contribute to a reduction in poverty.
Low-income Families — House of Commons, 2020-09-15
Topic: Social Welfare
Stephen Paul Barclay (Conservative, Centre-right): The Government are committed to all groups in society, including the most vulnerable, facing the challenges caused by covid-19. That is why we have put in place an unprecedented package of support, including the job retention scheme, the self-employed income support scheme and a package of welfare measures that the Office for Budget Responsibility estimates to be worth in excess of £9 billion.
Low-income Families — House of Commons, 2020-09-15
Topic: Social Welfare
Stephen Crabb (Conservative, Centre-right): The commitment of this Government to ensuring that the most vulnerable in our society are protected through this crisis cannot be questioned. The scale of the intervention has been remarkable, but may I encourage the Chancellor and the Treasury team, as they begin making their plans for next year’s spending, to bear in mind the importance of the increase in universal credit that we made at the beginning of the pandemic, and to ensure that we keep it in place, because many more families will be relying on it in the months ahead?
Low-income Families — House of Commons, 2020-09-15
Topic: Social Welfare
Stephen Paul Barclay (Conservative, Centre-right): My right hon. Friend is a passionate champion of this issue. He will have seen from the answer given earlier by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor that the distribution analysis at the time of the summer update illustrated that the measures taken by the Chancellor had protected the poorest households the most as a proportion of income. I know that he will have listened closely to my right hon. Friend’s representations.
Social Care Workforce Special Payment Scheme — House of Commons, 2020-09-15
Topic: Social Welfare
Stephen Paul Barclay (Conservative, Centre-right): Spending on devolved matters is a matter for the Welsh Government. The UK Government do not set the levels of pay for care workers in England, but we are focused on ensuring that the social care system is funded, so that providers pay a fair wage.
Social Care Workforce Special Payment Scheme — House of Commons, 2020-09-15
Topic: Social Welfare
Stephen Paul Barclay (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Lady should point out to those same workers that this Government have allocated an unprecedented £4 billion of guaranteed funding to the Welsh Government to enable them to allocate funding under what is a devolved matter. If she is drawing attention to the fact that there is a shortfall in what she feels should be going to care workers in her constituency, she needs to address why more of that £4 billion is not being allocated to care workers in what is a devolved issue.
Manufacturers: Support — House of Commons, 2020-09-15
Topic: Macroeconomics
Olukemi Olufunto Badenoch (Conservative, Centre-right): The manufacturing sector has a key role to play in the Government’s ambitious agenda to build back better, which is why last week I met representatives of the UK’s major manufacturing trade associations to hear their views directly. To support the sector, we continue to provide extensive support for research and development as part of our commitment to increase it, economy-wide, to 2.4% of GDP by 2027.
Manufacturers: Support — House of Commons, 2020-09-15
Topic: Energy
Olukemi Olufunto Badenoch (Conservative, Centre-right): The Government are acutely aware of the demands required across various sectors. The hon. Lady mentions the aerospace and automotive sectors, which the Government are supporting with over £8.5 billion through the covid corporate financing facility, grants for research and development, loans and export guarantees expected over the next 18 months. There is also further support in place for the automotive industry through the Budget, in which the Government committed over £1 billion to promote the uptake of ultra-low emissions vehicles, including up to £500 billion to support the roll-out of a superfast charging network. Those amounts will help those various sectors.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2020-09-15
Topic: Macroeconomics
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): This Government’s comprehensive and generous package of support in response to the coronavirus has protected millions of livelihoods and supported hundreds of thousands of businesses up and down the country. Our plan for jobs announced in July will protect, create and support jobs, notably through our recently launched kickstart scheme, as we look to get the UK economy back on its feet.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2020-09-15
Topic: International Affairs
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): The Government and I remain committed to getting a deal and will continue to engage constructively with our European partners in pursuit of that aim. With regard to funding for Scotland, I can tell the hon. Lady that the Scottish Government have received £6.5 billion in advance of it being called for, so that they can provide the support required to their residents.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2020-09-15
Topic: Social Welfare
Rishi Sunak (Conservative, Centre-right): From the beginning of this pandemic, we have made changes to the operation of statutory sick pay and our welfare system to ensure that those who are isolating in any circumstance receive support from day one, and that we improve flexibility, particularly for the self-employed, through the removal of the minimum income floor. As the hon. Lady knows, we are also trialling incentive payments in local lockdown areas.