argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
Private Sector Pensions — House of Commons, 2018-01-22
Topic: Labor
David Jonathan Edwards (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): As part of the Tata Steel-Thyssenkrupp merger, workers faced the slashing of their pension funds if they joined the PPF or if they joined a new scheme with reduced benefits. Others opted for personal plans, leading to a feeding frenzy of mis-selling. Does the Secretary of State think the steelworkers of Wales were treated fairly, considering that the new company’s annual sales are estimated at £15 billion?
Financial Guidance and Claims Bill [Lords] — House of Commons, 2018-01-22
Topic: Macroeconomics
David Jonathan Edwards (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): It is great to see you back in your rightful place, Mr Deputy Speaker May I take the Secretary of State back to the first part of the Bill and the devolved functions in terms of debt advice? How will they be funded? Will it be based on a percentage share—a population share—of expenditure in England? Will it be based on Welsh need, or, as I read the Bill, will the Welsh Government send the Treasury a bill for its functions and then that will be levied by the FCA?
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill — House of Commons, 2018-01-17
Topic: International Affairs
Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): On a point of order, Mr Speaker. I seek your advice on how to inform the House of some breaking news coming out of the Welsh national Parliament. Assembly Members have unanimously supported the introduction of a Welsh continuity Bill to put a halt to the Westminster power grab. So great is the constitutional encroachment of the Westminster Government that this Bill to support Welsh democracy is supported by not only Plaid Cymru, but the Welsh Conservative party and the UK Independence party. This is of great constitutional significance, with implications for the passage of the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill, which has just received its Third Reading.
UK Internal Market — House of Commons, 2018-01-16
Topic: Macroeconomics
Ben Morgan Lake (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): The contribution of the UK internal market is of course important to the economy of Wales. Under Westminster rule, the economy of London and the south-east of England has steamed ahead while Wales remains one of the poorest nations in western Europe. Will the Chancellor commit to ending this rank inequality by rebalancing the UK internal market to ensure that it is not based on a set of Westminster diktats but is instead a partnership of the four nations of the UK?
Public Spending: Wales — House of Commons, 2018-01-16
Topic: Macroeconomics
David Jonathan Edwards (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): The headline-grabbing announcement in the Budget was the alleged £1.2 billion uplift to the Welsh public finances, which the Minister has just repeated in his answer. It was an example of financial trickery best suited to the Foreign Secretary’s big red buses. Is it not the case that more than half that money will be in the form of repayable loans—in other words, financial transactions?
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill — House of Commons, 2018-01-16
Topic: International Affairs
Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): I thank the hon. Lady for her intervention. It brings me to the very point I was going to make. The Joint Ministerial Committee (EU Negotiations), to which she was referring, had a very rocky start. Some hon. Members will know that it met last February and then not again until October. During that time, momentous events were taking place here. Huge changes were being made in the relationship between Wales and the EU, and in the United Kingdom’s relationship with the EU. However, the JMC, the very mechanism that was supposed to elicit the views of Welsh Ministers—and Scottish and Northern Irish Ministers, for that matter—did not meet. I am glad to say that since that suspension it seems to have recovered somewhat: the October meeting was much more positive.
Carillion — House of Commons, 2018-01-15
Topic: Transportation
David Jonathan Edwards (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): Across Wales, Carillion is involved in rail, road, energy and digital infrastructure projects. What discussions about exposure to Welsh projects took place between the UK and Welsh Governments before the events of the weekend, and what discussions have there been over the last few days?
Space Industry Bill [Lords] — House of Commons, 2018-01-15
Topic: Technology
Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): I am honoured to represent a constituency where one of the shortlisted potential spaceport sites is located in Llanbedr. I am sure that the hon. Lady agrees that the space industry offers the potential to bring science, technology, engineering and maths jobs and STEM salaries to all UK nations and that the Westminster Government should play their part in enabling that through licensing and facilitating future projects.
Future Trade Agreements — House of Commons, 2018-03-29
Topic: Foreign Trade
David Jonathan Edwards (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): Is it not the case that, under current plans, the British Government will be able to sign off UK-wide trade deals without the consent of the devolved Parliaments, meaning that the Belgian region of Wallonia will have more power over EU trade deals than Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland will have over UK trade deals?
Counter-Daesh Update — House of Commons, 2018-03-29
Topic: International Affairs
David Jonathan Edwards (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): Thank you After turning a blind eye to Turkey’s disgraceful offensive against the Kurds in Afrin province, will the British Government now unreservedly condemn the Turkish army’s intention to extend the offensive into Idlib, Manbij and Kobane, and all the way to the Iraq border? As Turkey is now directly undermining a counter-Daesh operation, should not the British Government at least stop selling arms to that country?
Welsh EU Continuity Bill — House of Commons, 2018-03-14
Topic: International Affairs
Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): Last week, the Secretary of State published a list explicitly outlining which powers Westminster intends either to hoard or to dole out, as it sees fit. This week, he published a set of amendments to clause 11 of the withdrawal Bill, without gaining the agreement of either of the devolved nations. Will he explain how that is anything other than a power grab?
Welsh EU Continuity Bill — House of Commons, 2018-03-14
Topic: International Affairs
Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): Today the Welsh EU continuity Bill will be subject to the first stage of the expedited legislative timetable. If it passes, debates over the power grab will be forced out of this Chamber and into the courts. Will the Secretary of State confirm whether he intends to fight us in the courts?
Rail Electrification: Swansea — House of Commons, 2018-03-14
Topic: Transportation
Questions: What recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Transport on the effect on the Welsh economy of the decision not to electrify the mainline to Swansea.; What recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Transport on the effect on the Welsh economy of the decision not to electrify the mainline to Swansea.
David Jonathan Edwards (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): Diolch. As we heard from the hon. Member for Monmouth (David T. C. Davies), the Labour Government yesterday cancelled the electrification of the line to Ebbw Vale using exactly the same arguments as the Secretary of State for cancelling the electrification of the main line to Swansea—I do not know whether they swapped press releases or not. Is it not the case that when it comes to the Welsh railways, the Welsh people have been let down by the Governments at both ends of the M4?
Leaving the EU: Research and Staffing — House of Commons, 2018-01-29
Topic: Education
Questions: What assessment he has made of the effect of the UK leaving the EU on future participation in EU research programmes and staffing levels in higher education.; What assessment he has made of the effect of the UK leaving the EU on future participation in EU research programmes and staffing levels in higher education.
Ben Morgan Lake (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): Since the introduction of Horizon 2020, Welsh universities have received more than €83 million in funding from the programme, enabling their participation in more than 2,000 international collaborations. Will the Secretary of State confirm whether the UK Government intend to negotiate association with Horizon 2020’s successor programmes, so that universities in Wales can continue to benefit from and contribute to such programmes?
Leaving the EU: Implementation — House of Commons, 2018-01-29
Topic: International Affairs
David Jonathan Edwards (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): Earlier this month, the National Assembly for Wales unanimously—this included Tory and UK Independence party Assembly Members—supported a motion from my colleague, Steffan Lewis, calling for a continuity Bill to protect the Welsh constitution from the power grab inherent in the British Government’s legislative proposals for implementing the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill. Now that Wales has spoken, will the British Government listen, or are they intent on forcing a constitutional crisis?
Taliban and IS/Daesh Attacks: Afghanistan — House of Commons, 2018-01-29
Topic: International Affairs
David Jonathan Edwards (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): The current US strategy seems to be based on ramping up troop numbers and bombing the insurgents to the negotiating table. What can the British Government do to encourage a more comprehensive strategy based on nation building, including in respect of some of the very valid points the Minister himself has made today?
Customs Union — House of Commons, 2018-05-03
Topic: Foreign Trade
Questions: What assessment he has made of the effect of the UK remaining in the customs union on its ability to negotiate new free trade agreements throughout the world after the UK leaves the EU.
David Jonathan Edwards (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): Is not the reality that trade deals with, for instance, the US and Australia would require concessions on regulatory standards that would create impenetrable trade barriers with Europe? When it comes to trade policy, surely one bird in the hand is better than two in the bush.
Leaving the EU: Scotland and Wales Continuity Bills — House of Commons, 2018-04-18
Topic: Government Operations
Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): I rise to pay tribute to my Plaid Cymru colleague Steffan Lewis AM, who built cross-party consensus in our Assembly for our continuity Bill. I wish Steff well in recovery from serious illness Devolution means divergence. Devolution means difference. Why does the Attorney General seek to deny that, knowing as he does that he calls into question the very concept of devolution?
Great Western Main Line: Electrification — House of Commons, 2018-04-19
Topic: Transportation
Questions: What discussions he has had with the Prime Minister on the cancellation of the electrification of the Great Western main line between Cardiff and Swansea.
David Jonathan Edwards (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): We know from press reports issued during the Easter break that the Prime Minister personally made the decision to renege on an election promise to electrify the main line to Swansea on the basis of cost. Is not the reality that the British Government do not consider the west of my country worthy of investment?
Transport Emissions: Urban Areas — House of Commons, 2018-05-22
Topic: Environment
David Jonathan Edwards (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): I commend to the Secretary of State the clean air Bill proposed by my colleague Simon Thomas in the National Assembly for Wales. In the spirit of the decentralised approach that he proposes, what consideration have the British Government given to devolving vehicle excise duty and fuel taxes to Wales, so that the Welsh Government can have a revenue stream to implement alternative transport solutions?
Bahrain: Death Penalty — House of Commons, 2018-05-15
Topic: International Affairs
David Jonathan Edwards (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): Amnesty International, Reprieve and the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy have all raised concerns about the use of the death penalty and the routine torture of political opponents by the regime in Bahrain. What assurance can the Minister give that the British Government’s integrated activity fund is not being used to undermine human rights in Bahrain?
Port Talbot Prison — House of Commons, 2018-03-06
Topic: Law and Crime
Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): If a super-prison is built in Port Talbot, there will up to 1,000 more prison places in Wales than there are currently prisoners from Wales. Does the Minister share the Howard League’s concern that Wales is set to become Westminster’s penal colony?
Water Supply Disruption — House of Commons, 2018-03-06
Topic: Environment
Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): The town of Blaenau Ffestiniog lost its water supply on Friday, and many people had to cope for three days or more without mains water, with some of them boiling snow. Will the Minister join me in commending the community of Ffestiniog, which has helped out neighbours and family, and the water company workforce who have worked day and night in horrendous conditions to restore supplies? Will she also join me in commending Dŵr Cymru’s not-for-profit business model, which directs all profits to supporting the vulnerable and a rolling investment in infrastructure?
Universal Credit: Disabled People — House of Commons, 2018-02-05
Topic: Labor
Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): Some specialist employment services for people with disabilities such as drug, alcohol or mental health problems—for example, Agoriad in my constituency—are subcontracted to these small local agencies, but minus a management fee and with unsatisfactory remote control. Would not direct contact with these small local agencies provide more resources where they are needed, as well as better value for money and more people in work?
Leaving the EU: Agriculture Frameworks — House of Commons, 2018-04-26
Topic: Agriculture
Ben Morgan Lake (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): Many agricultural unions in Wales have expressed concern about clarity relating to the future arrangements for common frameworks. Do the UK Government intend to apply the Barnett formula to any funding allocated to Wales in the future?
Home Office Removal Targets — House of Commons, 2018-04-26
Topic: Law and Crime
Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): I have always been puzzled about why my constituent Shiromini Satkunarajah, a Londoner and student at Bangor University, was wrongly detained at Yarl’s Wood last year. The answer now seems to be clear. She was a Tamil who escaped from Sri Lanka as a child and was reporting to the police station, as she was required to do under law—she was doing her duty under the law. She was, to use that horrible, dehumanising phrase, "low-hanging fruit". What is the Home Secretary now doing to identify and provide redress to those not of the Windrush generation but whose lives have wrongly been disrupted by Home Office target chasing?
Customs and Borders — House of Commons, 2018-04-26
Topic: International Affairs
Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): When the Exiting the European Union Committee visited South Armagh a couple of months ago, everyone we met, from Sinn Féin councillors to the deputy chief constable, agreed that there should be no infrastructure on the border, for the very reason that the right hon. Lady outlined.
Customs and Borders — House of Commons, 2018-04-26
Topic: International Affairs
Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): Two great problems have plagued Governments in this place for over 200 years —the Irish question and the European question. It takes a Government of some genius to bring those two questions down on their head simultaneously. I have been waiting a long time to say that I welcome this opportunity to confirm that my party’s policy is, and always has been, to stay in the customs union. We are a pro-European party—not blindly so, because we have long-standing criticisms of the European Union, but we have always been in favour of co-operating with people who share our views and our values. But that is all for a wider debate. Today I want to concentrate my remarks on the relationship with Ireland.
Syria: De-escalation Zones — House of Commons, 2018-02-26
Topic: International Affairs
David Jonathan Edwards (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): Three years ago, the YPG and the YPJ had already defended Kabone against the better-armed Daesh forces and took the fight to Raqqa and won. Why are the British Government now effectively supporting a similar brutal offensive by the Turkish army against those same Kurdish forces in Afrin province? Has it got anything to do with the recent £100 million fighter jet deal signed by Turkey and British arms exporters? Will the Foreign Secretary today call for a de-escalation zone in this part of Syria?
Leaving the EU: The Union — House of Commons, 2018-03-28
Topic: Agriculture
Ben Morgan Lake (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): Under a previous UK Government, up to 90% of the Welsh fishing quota was sold to foreign firms. This Union now has more than one Government, so what discussions is the Minister having with colleagues in the Welsh Government about the future allocation of the Welsh fishing quota?
Police Funding — House of Commons, 2018-03-28
Topic: Law and Crime
Ben Morgan Lake (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): My hon. Friend is making a powerful speech. Many of my constituents feel that rural police forces have added challenges, as the population is spread across a large area. Does he agree that in reviewing the central grant and how it is allocated, the Government should strengthen the criteria used to determine the specific needs of rural areas?
Farmers — House of Commons, 2018-02-01
Topic: Agriculture
Questions: What discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on support for farmers after the UK leaves the EU.
Ben Morgan Lake (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): Securing favourable trading conditions will be just as important for the future of our farmers, including those who reflect distinct characteristics of the industry across the UK. Will the Minister confirm what role the devolved Administrations will play in formulating our position?
Capita — House of Commons, 2018-02-01
Topic: Labor
Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): This is a very worrying time for Carillion employees in Wales, including the hundreds employed at the call centre in Bangor in my constituency. It is also a very worrying time for disabled people, as all personal independence payment assessments in Wales are carried out by the company. Will the Minister give these people a cast-iron guarantee that their jobs are safe, and that their benefits assessments will be carried out properly and accurately?
Leaving the EU: No Deal — House of Commons, 2018-04-17
Topic: International Affairs
Questions: Many of my constituents work in the financial sector —the financial services sector, specifically. Does the Chancellor not recognise that the closest possible alignment with the single market is the best possible outcome for this vital sector?
David Jonathan Edwards (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): It seems to me that over recent months the UK has changed its position from negotiating the final deal before the transition period to negotiating the final deal during the transition period. Is not the reality that the British Government’s negotiating position will be considerably weakened once we have left the EU?
Leaving the EU: Policy Development — House of Commons, 2018-03-08
Topic: Agriculture
Questions: If he will develop agricultural policy and environmental standards for the period after the UK leaves the EU in parallel with trade negotiations with the EU.
David Jonathan Edwards (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): In the Prime Minister’s speech last Friday, she said that there would be no compromise on environmental standards and animal welfare standards, which was welcome. What guarantees can the Minister give to Welsh and UK farm producers that they will not be disadvantaged by lower-standard food entering the UK market following post-Brexit trade deals?
Cross-border Economic Opportunities — House of Commons, 2018-01-31
Topic: Macroeconomics
David Jonathan Edwards (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): Since assuming office, the Secretary of State has broken a promise to electrify the main line to Swansea; vetoed devolving airport taxes to Wales because he does not want to upset Bristol airport; and not delivered on the Swansea bay tidal lagoon. Is not the reality that his record on the economy is failure, failure, failure?
Broadband: Rural Areas — House of Commons, 2018-01-31
Topic: Technology
Ben Morgan Lake (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): Ceredigion has among the slowest broadband speeds in the UK. Despite that, Ceredigion, and indeed the whole of Wales, was left out of the UK Government programme to provide full fibre broadband to six areas across England and Scotland. Will the Minister confirm that representations were made to his Government to ensure that Wales was included in that programme? What explanation was he given for its omission?
Welsh EU Continuity Bill — House of Commons, 2018-01-31
Topic: Government Operations
Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): It appears now that regional assessments do exist. Which road will the Minister take? Will he confirm that a Welsh assessment has been produced, or will he concede that the Government are so heedless of Wales’s future that there is no such assessment?
Government’s EU Exit Analysis — House of Commons, 2018-01-31
Topic: Government Operations
Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): I am grateful to the right hon. and learned Gentleman. Is he aware that, this morning at Welsh questions, the Wales Office Minister, in response to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Dwyfor Meirionnydd (Liz Saville Roberts), said "We have many assessments as we go through this process", so it is not just the one, but many? Will it not be essential that the Government release those assessments when they become available as we go through the process?
Government’s EU Exit Analysis — House of Commons, 2018-01-31
Topic: Government Operations
Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): We have heard many requests and demands for this information to be published here today and in the press. Has the Minister had any similar requests from the devolved Government in Cardiff for Welsh-specific information from these assessments?
European Union Citizenship — House of Commons, 2018-03-07
Topic: International Affairs
Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru, Centre-left to left): My hon. Friend makes a very good point. I was going to refer later to the fact that the European Union has helped largely to prevent war on the European continents, although there are obvious exceptions, such as in the former Yugoslavia, which was not a member of the EU. He makes a pertinent point about Saunders Lewis, who had that profound experience in the trenches. It was one reason why he and his friends set up Plaid Cymru in August 1925 in my home town of Preseli, at a meeting of the Eisteddfod. While I am on my feet, I might as well also say that our profound lack of political realism at that time meant that in a country that was almost exclusively non-conformist, teetotal and in favour of the British empire, we had as our president a Francophile, wine-drinking Catholic—I think Machiavelli is still rotating in his grave after that one, but there we are. The roots of our pro-European stance are very deep indeed.