argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
Retirement of a Member: Lord Dixon — House of Lords, 2016-02-09
Topic: Other
Frances D'Souza (Non-Affiliated, Unknown): My Lords, I should like to notify the House of the retirement, with effect from today, of the noble Lord, Lord Dixon, pursuant to Section 1 of the House of Lords Reform Act 2014. On behalf of the House, I should like to thank the noble Lord for his much-valued service to the House.
Death of a Member: Lord Brooks of Tremorfa — House of Lords, 2016-03-08
Topic: Other
Frances D'Souza (Non-Affiliated, Unknown): My Lords, I regret to inform the House of the death of the noble Lord, Lord Brooks of Tremorfa, on 4 March. On behalf of the House, I extend our condolences to the noble Lord’s family and friends.
Liaison Committee — House of Lords, 2016-03-22
Topic: Other
William Laming (Non-Affiliated, Unknown): My Lords, the position is very clear. Everybody has an equal opportunity. Every Member of the House has the opportunity to put forward topics for discussion. As the report indicates, we had a large number and a wide range of topics. We considered each and every one most carefully. That, I am sure, will continue to be the way in which the system works in future.
Liaison Committee — House of Lords, 2016-03-22
Topic: Other
William Laming (Non-Affiliated, Unknown): My Lords, the committee considered the range of options that were put to us. There was a common theme on some topics; others were more individual. We considered each of them on their merits and we have reached the conclusion that we now commend to the House.
Death of a Member: Lord Avebury — House of Lords, 2016-02-22
Topic: Other
Frances D'Souza (Non-Affiliated, Unknown): My Lords, I regret to inform the House of the death of the noble Lord, Lord Avebury, on 14 February. On behalf of the House, I extend our condolences to the noble Lord’s family and friends.
Retirement of a Member: Baroness Linklater of Butterstone — House of Lords, 2016-02-22
Topic: Other
Frances D'Souza (Non-Affiliated, Unknown): My Lords, I notify the House of the retirement with effect from 12 February of the noble Baroness, Lady Linklater of Butterstone, pursuant to Section 1 of the House of Lords Reform Act 2014. On behalf of the House, I thank her for her much-valued service to the House.
Retirement of a Member: Lord Browne-Wilkinson — House of Lords, 2016-03-01
Topic: Other
Frances D'Souza (Non-Affiliated, Unknown): My Lords, I should like to notify the House of the retirement, with effect from today, of the noble and learned Lord, Lord Browne-Wilkinson, pursuant to Section 1 of the House of Lords Reform Act 2014. On behalf of the House, I should like to thank the noble and learned Lord for his much-valued service to the House.
Death of a Former Member: Lord Roper — House of Lords, 2016-02-01
Topic: Other
Frances D'Souza (Non-Affiliated, Unknown): My Lords, I regret to inform the House of the death on 29 January of the noble Lord, Lord Roper. On behalf of the House, I extend our sincere condolences to the noble Lord’s family and friends.
Privileges and Conduct Committee — House of Lords, 2016-02-25
Topic: Other
William Laming (Non-Affiliated, Unknown): My Lords, I am most grateful for the opportunity to respond to these questions and will do my best. The first question asked by the noble Lord, Lord Foulkes, was about where this came from. It came from within the committee. The committee has been extremely exercised about a number of what are perceived to be gaps or misunderstandings in the current arrangements.
Privileges and Conduct Committee — House of Lords, 2016-02-25
Topic: Other
William Laming (Non-Affiliated, Unknown): That is absolutely right. I am very grateful for the question because further thought is being given to that precise point and I hope that it will be possible to produce a report on that matter in the very near future.
Death of a Former Member: Lord Mayhew of Twysden — House of Lords, 2016-06-27
Topic: Other
Frances D'Souza (Non-Affiliated, Unknown): My Lords, I regret to inform the House of the death of the noble and learned Lord, Lord Mayhew of Twysden, on 25 June. On behalf of the House, I extend our condolences to the noble and learned Lord’s family and friends.
Trade Union Bill — House of Lords, 2016-05-03
Topic: Other
Hugh Dykes (Non-Affiliated, Unknown): Before the Minister sits down, I intervene briefly to repeat the thanks already expressed by other Peers in the debate on these amendments today and on the previous occasion when the Bill was being considered. We give our thanks to the Government, to the noble Baroness, Lady Neville-Rolfe, and the noble Lord, Lord Bridges, particularly for their very helpful adjustments and changes in response to the earlier debates. It was an outstanding example of how the House of Lords can be genuinely useful to the British public in improving controversial legislation. We are grateful for that progress.
Retirement of a Member: Baroness Perry of Southwark — House of Lords, 2016-05-26
Topic: Other
Frances D'Souza (Non-Affiliated, Unknown): My Lords, I should like to notify the House of the retirement, with effect from today, of the noble Baroness, Lady Perry of Southwark, pursuant to Section 1 of the House of Lords Reform Act 2014. On behalf of the House, I should like to thank the noble Baroness for her much valued service to the House.
Deaths of Members — House of Lords, 2016-04-25
Topic: Other
Frances D'Souza (Non-Affiliated, Unknown): My Lords, I regret to inform the House of the deaths of the noble Lord, Lord Walton of Detchant, on 21 April and of the noble Lord, Lord Peston, on 23 April. On behalf of the House I extend our deepest condolences to the noble Lords’ families and friends.
Retirement of a Member: Lord Inge — House of Lords, 2016-04-25
Topic: Other
Frances D'Souza (Non-Affiliated, Unknown): My Lords, I should also like to notify the House of the retirement, with effect from today, of the noble and gallant Lord, Lord Inge, pursuant to Section 1 of the House of Lords Reform Act 2014. On behalf of the House, I should like to thank the noble and gallant Lord for his much valued service to the House.
Housing and Planning Bill — House of Lords, 2016-04-25
Topic: Housing
Andrew Adonis (Non-Affiliated, Unknown): My Lords, I rise briefly to congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Taylor, on what may turn out to be quite a significant reform of the planning system. The concept of new garden villages is thoroughly welcome. In the past we have thought of new settlements as being top-down and very large-scale, as the noble Lord, Lord Best, has just said. The principle being introduced by the noble Lord, Lord Taylor, is that is they should be much smaller in scale and locally led. The breakthrough in his thinking is that, by definition, you will reduce the number of nimbys if you are not building directly on existing settlements. It will make it possible, if this power is taken up by local authorities, to capture the increase in land values in a way that is not possible with developments on the edge of existing settlements. So the noble Lord’s thinking is hugely significant I live in hope that a purely bottom-up process will be sufficient, as the noble Lord, Lord Best, said, to produce the necessary proposals. I suspect—how can I put this diplomatically?—that we will need a certain amount of encouragement from the Government for local authorities as to the value of such new settlements and on how they can help them meet their own requirements of delivering new housing. That would be no bad thing. As ever, once there is a little leadership, and those who are rather nervous about taking this step see how it has been done successfully, more may be likely to follow.
Jo Cox MP — House of Lords, 2016-06-20
Topic: Civil Rights
Christopher Smith (Non-Affiliated, Unknown): My Lords, it is almost impossible to express how devastated I am by what happened to Jo. Jo was a truly remarkable person: remarkable for the wonderful food that she and Brendan could produce in the tiny, cramped galley of their narrowboat; remarkable for their love of wild country on the borders of Wales or among their beloved Scottish mountains; and remarkable above all for the astonishing amount that she achieved in only a year as a Member of Parliament Jo will also be remembered as a remarkable, bright, energetic and highly respected student at Pembroke College, Cambridge, the college of which I am now the master. She was and is much loved by her fellow students and especially by those who taught her. Our students and fellows in recent weeks collected funds to support Syrian refugees. We will now make our collective donation in Jo’s name. In due course, we hope to establish a studentship in her memory for a refugee or for someone from a background like Jo’s who might otherwise find it difficult to come to Cambridge Jo stood for the politics of hope and love. She has been cruelly taken from us by fear and hate. There has been too much fear and hate in recent weeks, has there not? We must dedicate ourselves to continuing her work.
Election of Lord Speaker — House of Lords, 2016-06-13
Topic: Other
Frances D'Souza (Non-Affiliated, Unknown): My Lords, I, too, add my warmest congratulations to the noble Lord, Lord Fowler. While I am somewhat sad to step down, I do so in the sure knowledge that he will be a most distinguished Lord Speaker and will bring new ideas and freshness to the job. I know, too, that he will be wonderfully supported by all the Members of this House, the administration and the staff of the House. I particularly thank the clerks and the doorkeepers, who are the most excellent—perhaps the world’s best—timekeepers. I offer the noble Lord my congratulations once again and hope that he has a very good innings.
Retirement of a Member: Lord Macfarlane of Bearsden — House of Lords, 2016-07-21
Topic: Other
Frances D'Souza (Non-Affiliated, Unknown): My Lords, I should like to notify the House of the retirement, with effect from today, of the noble Lord, Lord Macfarlane of Bearsden, pursuant to Section 1 of the House of Lords Reform Act 2014. On behalf of the House, I thank the noble Lord for his much-valued service to the House.
Retirement of a Member: Lord Hurd of Westwell — House of Lords, 2016-06-09
Topic: Other
Frances D'Souza (Non-Affiliated, Unknown): My Lords, I should like to notify the House of the retirement, with effect from today, of the noble Lord, Lord Hurd of Westwell, pursuant to Section 1 of the House of Lords Reform Act 2014. On behalf of the House, I should like to thank the noble Lord for his much-valued service to the House.
Leave of Absence — House of Lords, 2016-06-09
Topic: Other
Frances D'Souza (Non-Affiliated, Unknown): May I also take the opportunity to inform the House that I will be attending the national service of thanksgiving to celebrate the 90th birthday of Her Majesty the Queen at St Paul’s Cathedral tomorrow when the House will be sitting? Accordingly, I trust that the House will grant me leave of absence.
Death of a Former Member: Lord Neill of Bladen — House of Lords, 2016-06-06
Topic: Other
Frances D'Souza (Non-Affiliated, Unknown): My Lords, I regret to inform the House of the death of the noble Lord, Lord Neill of Bladen, on 28 May. On behalf of the House, I extend our deepest condolences to the noble Lord’s family and friends.
Deputy Chairmen of Committees — House of Lords, 2016-05-25
Topic: Other
William Laming (Non-Affiliated, Unknown): My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Boswell. Perhaps I can try to offer a little crumb of comfort to the noble Lord, Lord Pearson. These committees have been scrutinising thousands of documents a year. If we did not have these committees to do this job, the noble Lord, Lord Pearson, might have even greater concern. I beg to move.
Her Majesty the Queen: 90th Birthday — House of Lords, 2016-04-21
Topic: Other
Frances D'Souza (Non-Affiliated, Unknown): My Lords, perhaps I may briefly add my warmest congratulations to Her Majesty the Queen on the occasion of her 90th birthday. The tributes that we have heard today from all sides of the Chamber show the gratitude that this House, and indeed the nation, owe her for her extraordinary service throughout her reign. It is therefore my honour to put the Question today that the Motion be agreed to.
Retirement of a Member: Lord Cameron of Lochbroom — House of Lords, 2016-04-21
Topic: Other
Frances D'Souza (Non-Affiliated, Unknown): My Lords, I should like to notify the House of the retirement, with effect from today, of the noble and learned Lord, Lord Cameron of Lochbroom, pursuant to Section 1 of the House of Lords Reform Act 2014. On behalf of the House, I thank the noble and learned Lord for his much-valued service to the House.
Queen’s Speech — House of Lords, 2016-05-18
Topic: Other
Frances D'Souza (Non-Affiliated, Unknown): My Lords, I have to acquaint the House that Her Majesty was pleased this morning to make a most gracious Speech from the Throne to both Houses of Parliament assembled in the House of Lords. Copies of the gracious Speech are available in the Printed Paper Office I have, for the convenience of the House, arranged for the terms of the gracious Speech to be published in the Official Report. Motion for an Humble Address
Death of a Member: Lord Leach of Fairford — House of Lords, 2016-06-14
Topic: Other
Frances D'Souza (Non-Affiliated, Unknown): My Lords, I regret to inform the House of the death of the noble Lord, Lord Leach of Fairford, on 12 June. On behalf of the House, I extend our condolences to the noble Lord’s friends and family.
Her Majesty the Queen: 90th Birthday — House of Lords, 2016-05-10
Topic: Other
Frances D'Souza (Non-Affiliated, Unknown): My Lords, I have to inform your Lordships that earlier today I, together with the most reverend Primate the Archbishop of Canterbury, the noble Baronesses, Lady Stowell of Beeston and Lady Smith of Basildon, the noble and learned Lords, Lord Hope of Craighead and Lord Wallace of Tankerness, and the noble Lord, Lord Laming, presented to Her Majesty the Queen the humble Address of 21 April, and that Her Majesty made the following reply: "My Lords, I am most grateful to you for your Address on the occasion of my ninetieth birthday I have been deeply touched by the many messages of congratulations which I have received on this particular birthday and I warmly reciprocate the good wishes of My Lords at this time".
Immigration Bill — House of Lords, 2016-05-10
Topic: Other
Frances D'Souza (Non-Affiliated, Unknown): The original Question was that Motion A be agreed to, since when Amendment A1 has been moved to, "leave out from ‘House’ to end and insert …‘do insist on its Amendment 84’" The Question, therefore, is that Amendment A1 be agreed to. I should inform the House that if this amendment is agreed to, I cannot call Amendment A2 by reason of pre-emption.
Cessation of Membership — House of Lords, 2016-05-19
Topic: Other
Frances D'Souza (Non-Affiliated, Unknown): My Lords, I have to notify the House that the noble Lords, Lord Bridges, Lord Neill of Bladen and Lord Thomas of Macclesfield, and the noble Baroness, Lady Thomas of Walliswood, yesterday ceased to be Members of the House under Section 2 of the House of Lords Reform Act 2014 by virtue of not attending any proceedings of the House during the Session 2015-16. On behalf of the House I thank the noble Lords for their much-valued service to the House.
Death of a Member: Lord Evans of Temple Guiting — House of Lords, 2016-07-08
Topic: Other
Frances D'Souza (Non-Affiliated, Unknown): My Lords, I regret to inform the House of the death of the noble Lord, Lord Evans of Temple Guiting, on 6 July. On behalf of the House, I extend our deepest condolences to the noble Lord’s family and friends.
Wales Bill — House of Lords, 2016-10-31
Topic: Mixed Topics
Dafydd Elis-Thomas (Non-Affiliated, Unknown): My Lords, I am happy to follow the noble and learned Lord, Lord Hope, and his references both to the concept of Welsh law and to its meaning in the context of this Bill. I also say to him that I suspect there will be many more Wales Bills as a result of this Bill if it goes through in its present form. Our successors will be here debating these matters further. The point of my small amendment in this group, Amendment 3, is to clarify that the law of Wales is more than what is made in the National Assembly for Wales, or indeed in this place as English and Welsh law, or by the decisions of the judiciary, since law is developed as the noble and learned Lord indicated. In this sense, the Explanatory Memorandum is much more informative than what is in the Bill itself. Paragraph 25 of the commentary on the provisions of the Bill makes it clear that: "Subsection (1) confirms that there is a body of Welsh law made by the Assembly and Welsh Ministers. The law made by the Assembly and Welsh Ministers is … only part of the law that applies in Wales" I believe the noble and learned Lord, Lord Hope, made that point: the law of Wales is much broader, both historically and currently, than what is set out in the Bill. It is for that reason that I ask the Government to consider whether they can look for a wording that is more explanatory and of greater legal standing than that which they have currently adopted I will also quote, as I often do, my friend and mentor, the Reverend Professor Thomas Glyn Watkin. He told the National Assembly’s Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee, of which I was then a member, in evidence quoted as part of the committee’s report on the Bill: "My own view is that there is now within the legal system of England and Wales three bodies of law that can be recognised: a body of law that applies only in Wales, a body of law that applies only in England and a body of law that applies in both countries. I think the legal system needs to adapt itself to that new reality, a reality that is growing as the body of law that applies only in Wales and the body of law that applies only in England increase in size" Turning again to the issue of jurisdiction, which my noble friend Lord Wigley so clearly set out in the context of his amendment, there is a link between the complexity of the Bill and the move to preserve a single and undifferentiated jurisdiction. It was made clear to us in the Assembly committee, both in a special seminar convened as part of our scrutiny of the Bill and in evidence, as we stated in our report at paragraph 28: "It is clear to us that the UK Government’s policy to preserve the single jurisdiction has resulted in much of the complexity within the Bill" That is why I believe the Government will have to address this issue either tonight, next Monday or on Report. I absolutely agree with the noble Lord, Lord Crickhowell, that the complexity of the Bill is linked to the whole issue of the lack of flexibility on jurisdiction.
Wales Bill — House of Lords, 2016-11-15
Topic: Mixed Topics
Dafydd Elis-Thomas (Non-Affiliated, Unknown): The Minister will recollect that we worked together in the National Assembly. I looked at this issue at the time and I can reassure him and the House that the way in which he described the current position in planning and environmental law is indeed the position. But of course that does not mean that we cannot strengthen it by making indications about the intervention powers of the Secretary of State. On that, I think we are all agreed.
Wales Bill — House of Lords, 2016-11-23
Topic: Other
Dafydd Elis-Thomas (Non-Affiliated, Unknown): I am sure that my noble friend will want to explain to the Committee that this happened with the full consent of the holder of the office of Secretary of State, and that our relationship was always one of positive development.
Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Bill [HL] — House of Lords, 2016-12-13
Topic: Other
Jennifer Louise Tonge (Non-Affiliated, Unknown): My Lords, I understand that no amendments have been set down to this Bill and that no noble Lord has indicated a wish to move a manuscript amendment or to speak in Committee. Unless, therefore, any noble Lord objects, I beg to move that the order of commitment be discharged.
Wales Bill — House of Lords, 2016-11-07
Topic: Mixed Topics
Dafydd Elis-Thomas (Non-Affiliated, Unknown): I do not think it is for me to comment on that. I am grateful to the noble Lord, who was a very distinguished Secretary of State and took many initiatives from which we benefited in Wales. He was certainly an extremely distinguished chair of the National Rivers Authority. I can never forget that. I recognise that there are exceptions in Scotland and in Wales. Perhaps one day we will legislate in this House in a way that removes this notion of a border between England and Wales. As a late medieval scholar, I always thought that everywhere within a 40-kilometre band of the so-called political border was the Marches. I beg leave to withdraw the amendment.
English Votes on English Laws — House of Lords, 2015-07-02
Topic: Government Operations
Dafydd Elis-Thomas (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): My Lords, I thank the Minister for repeating the Statement in this House today and I warmly welcome it. There is nothing new here. Those of us who have operated devolved legislation recognise nothing here except the development of such legislation in relation to England. Does the Minister agree that the definition of legislative competence that has been pursued in the devolved legislatures is exactly what the Speaker of the House of Commons is being called on to follow in deciding whether a Bill is for England? Does she also accept that we already have the territorial competencies and applications set out in every Bill that goes through both Houses of Parliament, and that we are, at last, dragging the House of Commons towards electronic voting, which obviously, as a former Member of that House, I also support?
European Union Referendum Bill — House of Lords, 2015-12-01
Topic: Government Operations
Dafydd Wynne Wigley (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): My Lords, I follow that intervention with regard to the position of the Electoral Commission. I understand from what the noble Baroness said that it agrees with the content of what the Government are doing. Is it also entirely happy with the timing implications? If I understand it correctly, the commission has said that, in practice, it needs a minimum of 16 weeks’ notice after the last regulations have been approved. Is there an implication in the Minister’s statement for that timescale? If that is the case, is the Electoral Commission relaxed that it can work within those implications on the overall timescale arising from the amendments?
European Union Referendum Bill — House of Lords, 2015-10-28
Topic: International Affairs
Dafydd Wynne Wigley (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): My Lords, I shall speak to Amendments 5, 6 and 7, which are grouped—again, rather strangely—with the amendments of the noble Lord, Lord Hamilton. I suppose it is to do with the wording, and that is the common thread Before going into detail, perhaps I may note that I did not speak at Second Reading, and I shall be very careful to take good note of the strictures of the noble Baroness, Lady Anelay, on making Second Reading speeches—I will not do that. My noble friend Lord Elis-Thomas spoke on that occasion, and I was delighted to be on the same side as him, because back in the 1975 referendum, when I was certainly a "yes" voter for Wales and the UK to remain members of the European Community, he was on the other side, as was almost the rest of my party. I am glad to say that my party has come round. I am still totally committed to the European ideal and shall most certainly campaign, wherever I can, to ensure that the UK remains part of the European Union.
European Union Referendum Bill — House of Lords, 2015-10-28
Topic: Government Operations
Dafydd Wynne Wigley (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): Obviously I shall not chase this matter for any length of time, but has the noble Baroness considered the methodology that may have been used by the Electoral Commission? She is putting all her eggs in that basket and, if there were any question as to the methodology, the conclusions might also be suspect. I ask her only to look at this matter again between now and Report so as to be absolutely sure.