argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
Small Business Growth — House of Commons, 2017-03-14
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Margot Cathleen James (Conservative, Centre-right): The small business world must feel more love from this Government than it would from Labour, were it to take our place in government On the hon. Gentleman’s specific question, I know that the FSB lobbied hard on a number of points, including national insurance, business rates and the quarterly reporting of tax accounts. On the latter two, it was very pleased with what the Chancellor provided. With regard to national insurance, the hon. Gentleman knows that more than 60% of people who are self-employed will actually benefit from the changes mooted by the Chancellor last week.
Gig Economy — House of Commons, 2017-03-14
Topic: Mixed Topics
Margot Cathleen James (Conservative, Centre-right): As I said in my previous answer on national insurance, the increase in taxes, which itself is under review, will be ruling out—[Hon. Members: "Ah!"] In terms of the maternity and paternity issues raised by the hon. Lady, I should hasten to add, the consultation will run its course this summer and she will have an answer before the end of the year.
Industrial Strategy: West Midlands — House of Commons, 2017-03-14
Topic: Mixed Topics
Lucy Allan (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank the Minister for his reply. Telford is seeing increasing inward investment from businesses in the automotive supply chain such as Polytec and Magna’s Cosma, bringing real jobs and growth to Telford. Does he agree that Telford, with its reputation for innovation and advanced manufacturing, is set to play a key role in the midlands engine strategy, and will he congratulate those businesses on helping to build a successful future for Telford?
Industrial Strategy: West Midlands — House of Commons, 2017-03-14
Topic: Mixed Topics
Gregory David Clark (Conservative, Centre-right): I will indeed. My hon. Friend’s constituency, which includes Coalbrookdale, has a good claim to be the cradle of the first industrial revolution—[Interruption.] It is perhaps a disputed claim, but I think Abraham Darby, in 1709, was fairly early. However, now, Telford is at the heart of the fourth industrial revolution, as my hon. Friend says. The T54 site is proving to be a very important location for automotive sector supply chain.
Industrial Strategy: West Midlands — House of Commons, 2017-03-14
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Gregory David Clark (Conservative, Centre-right): I agree with my hon. Friend—he is absolutely right. The reputation of the black country is very strong. There is the phrase "Made in the Black Country, Sold around the World", but to fulfil that we need good skills. Andy Street, being a person of great business experience, is the best person available to bring that business acumen to bringing more businesses to the whole of the west midlands.
Industrial Strategy: West Midlands — House of Commons, 2017-03-14
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Gregory David Clark (Conservative, Centre-right): The self-employed have an important role to play. One trend that colleagues on both sides of the House will know of is that the development of supply chains is one of the key sources of innovation in many industries. Within that, start-up businesses, including those run by the self-employed, can make a big contribution to making us attractive for jobs and new businesses.
Industrial Strategy — House of Commons, 2017-03-14
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Gregory David Clark (Conservative, Centre-right): I assure the hon. Gentleman that that is not the case. I have regular discussions with the Federation of Small Businesses, the British Chambers of Commerce and smaller businesses right across the country. The supply chain, and making our country more attractive to supply chain businesses, are absolutely foundational to our industrial success, and that involves a particular regard for small businesses.
Industrial Strategy — House of Commons, 2017-03-14
Topic: Mixed Topics
Questions: I welcome the £90 million that the Chancellor has given in the Budget for PhD places. Has the Secretary of State determined how they will be distributed and whether the academically excellent area of Cambridgeshire will benefit from this funding?; The aerospace sector is of vital importance to the economy in the north-west of England. In December, I was delighted to take part in a ground-breaking ceremony at Rolls-Royce in Barnoldswick ahead of its £50 million expansion of its Pendle site. How can the Government’s industrial strategy help to further the growth of our aerospace sector?
Gregory David Clark (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend is absolutely right. This is an important sector, as has been evident from our discussions this morning. That reflects the track record of working together that will continue and be reinforced. I think that all Members across the House will have been as delighted as I was that Boeing made its commitment to its first ever UK plant in Sheffield, showing how attractive we are to advanced manufacturing businesses such as that.
Energy Supply Market: Competition — House of Commons, 2017-03-14
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Gregory David Clark (Conservative, Centre-right): The aim of Government policy must be to have such vigorous competition in markets that that takes care of itself. Unfortunately, I do not think we are in that position, so I am determined to make sure that customers are treated fairly.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2017-03-14
Topic: Mixed Topics
Gregory David Clark (Conservative, Centre-right): As well as continuing the consultation on our industrial strategy Green Paper, we are acting on its diagnosis. Last week’s Budget set out our plan to transform technical education—increasing the hours students are taught by 50%, increasing funding for technical education by £500 million a year and establishing new institutes of technology. We announced in the Budget the first £270 million of projects under the industrial strategy challenge fund, including a world-leading investment in the development, design and manufacture of batteries to power the next generation of electric vehicles, and we announced a £100 million fellowship fund to attract the world’s brightest minds to come and work in the United Kingdom.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2017-03-14
Topic: Mixed Topics
David Henry Rutley (Conservative, Centre-right): I am pleased that my right hon. Friend is planning to visit AstraZeneca’s Macclesfield site, the largest pharmaceutical site in the United Kingdom, in the near future. Will he tell the House what plans the Government have to support the life sciences further as part of its northern powerhouse strategy?
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2017-03-14
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Questions: Will the Secretary of State join me in congratulating the greatest evening newspaper in the country, the Express & Star, and the brilliant work of Wolverhampton University, which have launched the green shoots scheme? The scheme has now successfully distributed £4 million of regional growth fund money, supporting 65 businesses, creating or protecting 600 jobs and, extraordinarily, generating over 11 million in private sector investment to support businesses in places such as Dudley. Contrary to what he said earlier, everybody knows that Dudley was the real birthplace of the industrial revolution.
Gregory David Clark (Conservative, Centre-right): Having dipped my toes into controversy by talking about places with claims to be the cradle of the industrial revolution, I am certainly not going to nominate the best local newspaper in the country—suffice it to say that I gather the Foreign Secretary began his illustrious career on the Express & Star, although I do not know whether that shows its prescience, or whether it has recovered from that particular judgment. Local newspapers make a vital contribution to the success of local business, and I am delighted to hear about the initiative that the Express & Star is promoting.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2017-03-14
Topic: Mixed Topics
Questions: Will the Secretary of State join me in congratulating the greatest evening newspaper in the country, the Express & Star, and the brilliant work of Wolverhampton University, which have launched the green shoots scheme? The scheme has now successfully distributed £4 million of regional growth fund money, supporting 65 businesses, creating or protecting 600 jobs and, extraordinarily, generating over 11 million in private sector investment to support businesses in places such as Dudley. Contrary to what he said earlier, everybody knows that Dudley was the real birthplace of the industrial revolution.; Since 2010, my constituency has seen 8,800 apprenticeships started across many sectors, and very soon I will be hosting my first apprenticeship fair, bringing together local students and businesses. Will the Minister outline what steps he is taking to encourage more small businesses to engage with apprenticeships and take on more apprentices in places such as my constituency?; The Government’s industrial strategy Green Paper talks of the need to close the skills gap and invest in infrastructure, so can the Secretary of State explain to the House why childcare is not mentioned once?; I thank the Secretary of State for his support for the midlands engine. In Stafford, we build them. Last week I had the honour of opening the technical training centre at Perkins’ large engine plant in Stafford. Does he agree that that shows just how important it is for businesses to be proactive in putting together the facilities needed for apprentices and taking on more of them, as Perkins is?; Given that the Brexit negotiations are about to start, does the Secretary of State agree with his right hon. Friend the Prime Minister that no deal is better than a bad deal?; Will my right hon. Friend set out how he intends to shape the regulatory environment as we leave the European Union, including through such things as visa allocation, to ensure that the United Kingdom remains at the forefront of the technological revolution?; Scotland’s economy, from its thriving universities to our diverse food and drink sector, relies on EU freedom of movement. How does the Minister hope to close the skills gap and pave the way for a highly skilled economy if he cannot safeguard the rights of EU nationals living here?
Thomas Christopher John Pursglove (Conservative, Centre-right): When I visited the Corby steelworks on Friday, there was real enthusiasm for a sector deal for the steel industry and a real commitment to ongoing partnership working. Is my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State willing to visit the Corby works to discuss those opportunities?
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2017-03-14
Topic: Mixed Topics
Questions: Will the Secretary of State join me in congratulating the greatest evening newspaper in the country, the Express & Star, and the brilliant work of Wolverhampton University, which have launched the green shoots scheme? The scheme has now successfully distributed £4 million of regional growth fund money, supporting 65 businesses, creating or protecting 600 jobs and, extraordinarily, generating over 11 million in private sector investment to support businesses in places such as Dudley. Contrary to what he said earlier, everybody knows that Dudley was the real birthplace of the industrial revolution.; Since 2010, my constituency has seen 8,800 apprenticeships started across many sectors, and very soon I will be hosting my first apprenticeship fair, bringing together local students and businesses. Will the Minister outline what steps he is taking to encourage more small businesses to engage with apprenticeships and take on more apprentices in places such as my constituency?; The Government’s industrial strategy Green Paper talks of the need to close the skills gap and invest in infrastructure, so can the Secretary of State explain to the House why childcare is not mentioned once?; I thank the Secretary of State for his support for the midlands engine. In Stafford, we build them. Last week I had the honour of opening the technical training centre at Perkins’ large engine plant in Stafford. Does he agree that that shows just how important it is for businesses to be proactive in putting together the facilities needed for apprentices and taking on more of them, as Perkins is?; Given that the Brexit negotiations are about to start, does the Secretary of State agree with his right hon. Friend the Prime Minister that no deal is better than a bad deal?; Will my right hon. Friend set out how he intends to shape the regulatory environment as we leave the European Union, including through such things as visa allocation, to ensure that the United Kingdom remains at the forefront of the technological revolution?; Scotland’s economy, from its thriving universities to our diverse food and drink sector, relies on EU freedom of movement. How does the Minister hope to close the skills gap and pave the way for a highly skilled economy if he cannot safeguard the rights of EU nationals living here?; Given the decimation of Scotland’s renewables sector and the fact that Scotland has very different energy capabilities from the rest of the UK, why do the Government continue to think that a one-size-fits-all energy policy is in any way appropriate for Scotland?
Alan Mak (Conservative, Centre-right): Many of those focused on driving forward the fourth industrial revolution are in new sectors such as robotics and 3D printing. Can the Minister ensure that the industrial strategy’s sector engagement includes new, innovative challengers, not just incumbents?
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2017-03-14
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Questions: Will the Secretary of State join me in congratulating the greatest evening newspaper in the country, the Express & Star, and the brilliant work of Wolverhampton University, which have launched the green shoots scheme? The scheme has now successfully distributed £4 million of regional growth fund money, supporting 65 businesses, creating or protecting 600 jobs and, extraordinarily, generating over 11 million in private sector investment to support businesses in places such as Dudley. Contrary to what he said earlier, everybody knows that Dudley was the real birthplace of the industrial revolution.; Since 2010, my constituency has seen 8,800 apprenticeships started across many sectors, and very soon I will be hosting my first apprenticeship fair, bringing together local students and businesses. Will the Minister outline what steps he is taking to encourage more small businesses to engage with apprenticeships and take on more apprentices in places such as my constituency?; The Government’s industrial strategy Green Paper talks of the need to close the skills gap and invest in infrastructure, so can the Secretary of State explain to the House why childcare is not mentioned once?; I thank the Secretary of State for his support for the midlands engine. In Stafford, we build them. Last week I had the honour of opening the technical training centre at Perkins’ large engine plant in Stafford. Does he agree that that shows just how important it is for businesses to be proactive in putting together the facilities needed for apprentices and taking on more of them, as Perkins is?; Given that the Brexit negotiations are about to start, does the Secretary of State agree with his right hon. Friend the Prime Minister that no deal is better than a bad deal?; Will my right hon. Friend set out how he intends to shape the regulatory environment as we leave the European Union, including through such things as visa allocation, to ensure that the United Kingdom remains at the forefront of the technological revolution?; Scotland’s economy, from its thriving universities to our diverse food and drink sector, relies on EU freedom of movement. How does the Minister hope to close the skills gap and pave the way for a highly skilled economy if he cannot safeguard the rights of EU nationals living here?; Given the decimation of Scotland’s renewables sector and the fact that Scotland has very different energy capabilities from the rest of the UK, why do the Government continue to think that a one-size-fits-all energy policy is in any way appropriate for Scotland?; A recent Resolution Foundation report stated that one in three UK businesses admitted to under-investing over the last five years. What measures will the UK Government take to turn that around?
Gregory David Clark (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right that that behaviour is unacceptable. It has been reported by Ofgem that there is no reason to increase prices. We have committed to a Green Paper on consumer markets, which will be published very shortly. The time is up for these companies.
European Council — House of Commons, 2017-03-14
Topic: Immigration
Theresa Mary May (Conservative, Centre-right): The right hon. Gentleman mentioned a range of issues. He spoke again about the issue of EU nationals. As I have said in the House and as has been said by others from this Dispatch Box, we do want to ensure that the issue of the status of EU nationals who are living in the UK is dealt with at an early stage in the negotiations, but we also have a consideration for the UK nationals who are living in the EU. He said that the EU nationals living here are individuals who have contributed to our society. Indeed they are, but UK nationals living in EU member states are individuals who have contributed to their society and economy. I want to ensure that their status is also ensured. We hope and expect that this will be an issue that we can address at an early stage The right hon. Gentleman talked about the need to come forward and be very clear about the need for a transitional period. I refer him to the speech I gave in Lancaster House in January and to the White Paper that we published. The need for an implementation period so that we have a smooth and orderly Brexit process is one of the objectives that was set out in that speech and in that document The right hon. Gentleman talked about refugees from north Africa and the middle east. What we want to ensure is that people do not feel the need to make the often dangerous, life-threatening journey across the central Mediterranean. Many of these people—more than three quarters of the people who are doing this—are not refugees; they are economic migrants. We need to ensure that we are providing facilities and working with countries in Africa—which the EU and other countries are doing—to ensure that the circumstances are such that people do not try to make a life-threatening journey. We also need internationally to be able to make a better distinction between refugees and economic migrants, so that we can give better support to those who are refugees The right hon. Gentleman appeared to suggest that the UK Government are doing absolutely nothing to break the vile smuggling rings. In my statement, I quoted a recent example of the work of the National Crime Agency; I might add that it was a Conservative-led Government who set up the NCA and the Organised Immigration Crime Taskforce. The Government are dealing with these issues. He talks about abuses and the movement and trafficking of people, but it is this Government who brought in the Modern Slavery Act 2015. I am very proud that it is this Government who did so The right hon. Gentleman referred to global Britain and what it means. I will tell him what it means. It is about a strong, self-governing Britain, a Britain that is trading around the world with old friends and new allies alike, and a Britain that is proud to take its place on the world stage.
European Council — House of Commons, 2017-03-14
Topic: Other
Theresa Mary May (Conservative, Centre-right): I can assure my hon. Friend that, as we move ahead with this, as we have at every stage, we will take appropriate legal advice, but as he will know we do not discuss that on the Floor of the House.
European Council — House of Commons, 2017-03-14
Topic: Mixed Topics
Cheryl Elise Kendall Gillan (Conservative, Centre-right): I welcome the Prime Minister’s announcement that the UK is strengthening its contribution to cyber-security and countering disinformation and also the Foreign Secretary’s forthcoming visit to Russia, but with Russia spending over a billion dollars on media outlets and troll factories, is she satisfied that the EU’s East StratCom organisation, which counters fake news and misinformation from the Kremlin, is sufficiently resourced? Also, what progress was made on setting up the further centres to identify and counteract Russian propaganda that were mentioned in the pre-briefing to the Council?
European Council — House of Commons, 2017-03-14
Topic: Mixed Topics
Theresa Mary May (Conservative, Centre-right): First of all, no lecturing took place. There was a view around the table—I encouraged it, and others contributed—that it was important for the European Union to continue to complete the single market. The hon. Gentleman talks about the single market, but actually there is work yet to be done. It is also important for the EU to continue to work on trade arrangements with other areas. The reason that I ask the EU leaders to do that is that it will be good for the United Kingdom in our future relationship with the European Union. This is something that will be good for us. I have always been clear that we will trigger article 50 by the end of March, and that is exactly what we will do.
European Council — House of Commons, 2017-03-14
Topic: Mixed Topics
James Spencer Cleverly (Conservative, Centre-right): My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has made it clear at the Dispatch Box and in the country that she wishes to prioritise certainty for UK nationals living in the EU 27 and for EU nationals living here in the UK, but I have it on good authority that the EU negotiators want to prioritise the so-called divorce settlement. Will she make it clear to the people with whom she is negotiating that we will not countenance British and EU citizens being used as bargaining chips in such a way?
European Council — House of Commons, 2017-03-14
Topic: Immigration
Theresa Mary May (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend is right. We want to ensure reciprocal arrangements for EU citizens living here and for UK citizens living in the EU in terms of their future status, and I want to see that discussion taking place at an early stage in the negotiations. I recognise his point about some of the things that are being said, but I will simply say that, following my conversations with other European leaders, I believe that there is an extent of goodwill to deal with this issue at an early stage.
European Council — House of Commons, 2017-03-14
Topic: Other
Theresa Mary May (Conservative, Centre-right): We will invoke article 50 by the end of March, and a number of processes will happen in advance of that invocation. As I have said, I will come to the House when we have decided to make the notification.
European Council — House of Commons, 2017-03-14
Topic: Immigration
Theresa Mary May (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Gentleman cites experience as the model for what will happen in our negotiations, but I do not look at these matters in that way. When we invoke article 50, we will start those negotiations, and we have already been in discussions with other European leaders about the importance of reassuring UK citizens living in the 27 member states and EU citizens living here on their status and their future. As I have said in answer to several questions, including one from the hon. Member for Vauxhall (Kate Hoey), I believe that there is genuine good will on both sides on this issue, and that is why I want it to be an early part of the negotiations.
European Council — House of Commons, 2017-03-14
Topic: Immigration
Oliver James Dowden (Conservative, Centre-right): The Prime Minister rightly talked about the need to reassure EU nationals in this country. Does she agree that the biggest reassurance we can give is that their rights will remain completely unaltered until this House chooses to change them?