argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
Exiting the European Union (Plant Health) — House of Commons, 2019-10-08
Topic: Mixed Topics
Rebecca Faye Clark (Pow) (Conservative, Centre-right): That intervention leads me neatly to the other thing that we are protecting, so I will answer the hon. Gentleman’s question shortly. The oak processionary moth is native to southern Europe. Its caterpillars eat the leaves of oak trees, thereby affecting the health of the trees. They also shed poisonous hairs that can cause adverse reactions in humans. The majority of the UK is designated as a protection zone against this damaging pest. It is established in many parts of Europe and its distribution has recently expanded, including in the UK, where some cases were found earlier this year. Fortunately, the Government took rapid action—this answers the hon. Gentleman’s question. We have in place a good system: first, we strengthened the existing national protections against the pest by tightening import requirements. The Forestry Commission and the Animal and Plant Health Agency then took swift action to eradicate any signs of the moth, its larvae or its caterpillars. An excellent surveillance system swung into action and lots of work was done to trace the creatures and destroy the caterpillars and, indeed, infested and related trees. All the infested trees were intercepted in the protection zone and any signs of the moths and the trees they attacked have been destroyed. It is important that we ensure the continued operability of the strengthened import requirements, to ensure ongoing protection. That is why we are proceeding with this legislation.
Exiting the European Union (Plant Health) — House of Commons, 2019-10-08
Topic: Mixed Topics
Rebecca Faye Clark (Pow) (Conservative, Centre-right): Regulation 2 of the instrument applies to Great Britain, regulation 3 applies to Northern Ireland, and regulations 4 and 5 apply to England, Wales and Northern Ireland The instrument’s purpose is to ensure that an operable legal framework is in place on EU exit day and to facilitate the flow of goods while preserving the current plant health regime’s overall aim of preventing and managing pest and disease threats. For those reasons, I commend the regulations to the House.
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE (PROROGATION) — House of Commons, 2019-10-08
Topic: Other
Andrew Theakstone Percy (Conservative, Centre-right): On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. We have just agreed to a Prorogation, which will take place later this evening. I wonder whether you could give us some assurance that, this time when we prorogue, Government Members will not be subjected to the sort of abuse that we were subjected to at the last Prorogation ceremony. I sat here, but in the end walked out, so disgusted was I to see Opposition Members on their feet screaming, "Shame!" at hon. Members, pointing, jabbing their fingers and making some awful hand gestures in the direction of Black Rod as she approached, and to hear foul language besides. Perhaps people will not have had quite so much to drink this time—it will not be at 1 o’clock the morning —but we were offered no protection on that day from the Chair. Can you assure us, however, that if we see the same sort of bullying and hectoring behaviour this evening, we will be protected by the Chair this time?
Baby Loss Awareness Week — House of Commons, 2019-10-08
Topic: Other
Eleanor Fulton Laing (Conservative, Centre-right): The right hon. Lady is absolutely correct. When this House comes together and works properly, we do achieve what those who send us here expect us to achieve and hope that we will achieve. It is just such a pity that more people do not watch the proceedings on days like this instead of on days when the Chamber is crowded.
Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments — House of Commons, 2019-10-08
Topic: Other
Eleanor Fulton Laing (Conservative, Centre-right): The sitting is now suspended until approximately 7.30 pm. The annunciator will carry further information about the likely timing at which the sitting will resume. Shortly before it does so, Mr Speaker shall cause the Division bells to be sounded.
Prorogation — House of Commons, 2019-10-08
Topic: Other
John Simon Bercow (Conservative, Centre-right): The Commission was also read for proroguing this present Parliament, and the Leader of the House of Lords said: "My Lords and Members of the House of Commons: By virtue of Her Majesty’s Commission which has now been read, we do, in Her Majesty’s name, and in obedience to Her Majesty’s Commands, prorogue this Parliament to Monday the fourteenth day of this October to be then here holden, and this Parliament is accordingly prorogued to Monday the fourteenth day of October." End of the First Session (opened on 13 June 2017) of the Fifty-Seventh Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in the Sixty-Eighth Year of the Reign of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second.
Supply of Medicines: No Deal — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Mixed Topics
Questions: What recent assessment the Government have made of the effect on the supply of medicines of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.; What recent assessment the Government have made of the effect on the supply of medicines of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.; What recent assessment the Government have made of the effect on the supply of medicines of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.
Stephen Paul Barclay (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend is right. This is about preparing. It is not about scaring people unnecessarily. Around 220 lorries impact Ireland. This is of mutual interest, and we want to get it right with them. That is why we are working with member states on this. It is not just about stock and not just about flow; it is also about flow the other way. A significant number of UK medicines from firms like AstraZeneca go to Europe, so this is in the interests of the EU27 and the UK, which is why considerable work has been done on it.
Exports: No Deal — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Mixed Topics
Questions: What recent assessment the Government have made of the effect on the transportation of goods of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.
Jeremy John Elton Lefroy (Conservative, Centre-right): The Secretary of State quite rightly referred to the EORI numbers, but as I understand it, businesses will also have to get a similar number from the country in the EU27 with which they trade once we are outside the EU. Are businesses aware of that, or are they just aware of getting the UK one?
Exports: No Deal — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Questions: What recent assessment the Government have made of the effect on the transportation of goods of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.
Stephen Paul Barclay (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend is right that there are a number of things businesses need to do. That is exactly the purpose behind the public information campaign that we have launched to improve readiness. Contrary to the perception often implied in this House, a huge amount of work has been done in Government over the last three years and a large amount of work has also been done in large companies, including large pharmaceutical companies. The area of more concern has been within the SME community to which he refers, and that is what the public information campaign is targeting.
Exports: No Deal — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Other
Questions: What recent assessment the Government have made of the effect on the transportation of goods of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.
Stephen Paul Barclay (Conservative, Centre-right): A huge amount of information has already been published, not least in the form of the technical notices that the Government have issued. However, I fear—this may be a rare area of agreement between the right hon. Gentleman and me—that there is no level of documentation we could publish that would fully satisfy him.
Visa-free Travel — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Immigration
Questions: What plans the Government have to negotiate visa-free travel between the UK and the EU for short visits after the UK leaves the EU.; What plans the Government have to negotiate visa-free travel between the UK and the EU for short visits after the UK leaves the EU.
James Philip Duddridge (Conservative, Centre-right): The European Union has confirmed that it will grant UK nationals visa-free travel for short stays, subject to reciprocity. The Government have also said that we do not intend to require visas for tourists or short-term business visitors from the European Union.
Visa-free Travel — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Immigration
Questions: What plans the Government have to negotiate visa-free travel between the UK and the EU for short visits after the UK leaves the EU.; What plans the Government have to negotiate visa-free travel between the UK and the EU for short visits after the UK leaves the EU.
Craig Whittaker (Conservative, Centre-right): On longer-term working visas, 19% of people in the Calder Valley work in manufacturing, a sector that is now suffering from skill shortages and benefiting from very high employment. Can my right hon. Friend put the minds of businesses at rest, and explain how we can fill these skill shortfalls in the short term after Brexit that are currently filled through freedom of movement?
Visa-free Travel — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Immigration
Questions: What plans the Government have to negotiate visa-free travel between the UK and the EU for short visits after the UK leaves the EU.; What plans the Government have to negotiate visa-free travel between the UK and the EU for short visits after the UK leaves the EU.
James Philip Duddridge (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank my hon. Friend for that question, and I can certainly reassure him. As the Home Secretary set out, as we leave the EU we will transition to a new points-based immigration system that is built around the skills and talents that people have, not where they are from. In the short term, Swiss citizens and those from the European economic area who move to the UK after a no-deal Brexit on 31 October will still be able to start to study, as now.
Ethanol Imports: Tariff Schedule — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Questions: What plans the Government have to publish a tariff schedule for ethanol imports in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.
Stephen Paul Barclay (Conservative, Centre-right): My right hon. Friend will know that concerns have been raised by the industry in respect of that. Pertaining to the answer that I gave a moment ago, existing questions within that market are also a factor. I am very happy to have further discussions with him, as I am with the hon. Member for Redcar (Anna Turley), because a number of issues come into play for that industry.
Business Preparedness — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Mixed Topics
Questions: What recent discussions he has had with business groups to help ensure that they are prepared to leave the EU on 31 October 2019.
James Philip Duddridge (Conservative, Centre-right): Since joining the Department on 27 July, I have personally met more than 20 business organisations. Since July 2016, Department for Exiting the European Union Ministers have collectively undertaken over 700 meetings with businesses and business organisations from every sector in the economy.
Business Preparedness — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Questions: What recent discussions he has had with business groups to help ensure that they are prepared to leave the EU on 31 October 2019.
James Philip Duddridge (Conservative, Centre-right): That is a very sensible question. The Department has engaged extensively with logistics companies and representative bodies from across the sector to ensure that they are prepared for 31 October. I encourage my hon. Friend and businesses to consult the public information campaign on gov.uk to get a practical, step-by-step guide on what is required for business. That is a powerful thing to do—it is the right thing to do—in preparing to leave properly on 31 October.
Business Preparedness — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Questions: What recent discussions he has had with business groups to help ensure that they are prepared to leave the EU on 31 October 2019.
James Philip Duddridge (Conservative, Centre-right): I would certainly encourage those businesses to avail themselves of that opportunity. The Department has sent out 1,300 bits of information and that is captured on the gov.uk website. I have engaged with businesses—I am the small and medium-sized enterprises champion for the Department—and the one thing that I have noticed is that larger businesses tend to be more prepared than smaller businesses, and particularly the type of which the hon. Lady speaks. The Government website is a rich source of information, so I encourage Members to return to their constituency and—alongside campaigning—promote the Government website.
Business Preparedness — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Mixed Topics
Questions: What recent discussions he has had with business groups to help ensure that they are prepared to leave the EU on 31 October 2019.
James Philip Duddridge (Conservative, Centre-right): There will always be knockabout politics, but I would prefer to engage in the detail. I was in Northern Ireland last Thursday talking to businesses on the border and then in Belfast discussing alternative arrangements with a wide range of businesses, engaging them in the very real detail and not the high-level scare stories. There are concerns and they are being dealt with, but they should not be confused with the bigger scare stories.
Policing and Security — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Mixed Topics
Questions: What recent discussions he has had with the Home Secretary on the effect on policing and security of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.; What recent discussions he has had with the Home Secretary on the effect on policing and security of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.
James Philip Duddridge (Conservative, Centre-right): I spoke this week to the Home Secretary and the Policing Minister about security matters and exiting the European Union. My Department’s Ministers and officials hold regular meetings with the Home Office, and we are working closely to prepare for business, keeping our plans under rigorous review, and I will continue to do so.
Legal Services Sector — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Mixed Topics
Robert James MacGillivray Neill (Conservative, Centre-right): There is always more than one way to be overlooked Does the Minister accept that, at present, the United Kingdom has the second largest market in legal services in the world, and the largest in the European Union? That is because of the unparalleled access that British lawyers currently have to EU legal markets under the appropriate directives. Does the Minister recognise that if we are to avoid the 10% hit that the Law Society estimates would be taken by this country’s income from its legal services in the event of a no-deal Brexit, we must not only preserve maximum access to those markets, but develop a comprehensive strategy across all Departments to market British legal services as a world centre of excellence elsewhere?
Legal Services Sector — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Domestic Commerce
James Philip Duddridge (Conservative, Centre-right): I fully agree with my hon. Friend. Given that 6.5% of global legal services pass through the United Kingdom and three out of 15 top firms are based internationally in the UK, it is essential for us to work on a cross-departmental basis. The Legal Services are GREAT campaign is a good example of this ambitious programme. Since its launch in Singapore in October 2017, it has operated in more than 30 countries, with trade missions to Kazakhstan, China, Chile and Nigeria. Those missions are very effective, and they will continue.
Freedom of Movement — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Mixed Topics
Questions: What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the effect on the rights of (a) EU and (b) UK citizens of immediately ending freedom of movement in the event that UK leaves the EU on 31 October 2019.
James Philip Duddridge (Conservative, Centre-right): The European Union has confirmed that it will grant UK nationals visa-free travel to the Schengen area for short stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period, even in a no-deal scenario. In the event of no deal, however, the arrangements for UK nationals travelling to European Union countries will change, and we have published advice on gov.uk on the steps that they will need to take.
Freedom of Movement — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Civil Rights
Questions: What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the effect on the rights of (a) EU and (b) UK citizens of immediately ending freedom of movement in the event that UK leaves the EU on 31 October 2019.
James Philip Duddridge (Conservative, Centre-right): Citizens’ rights will not be used as a negotiating tool., and they have not been used as a negotiating tool. The hon. Lady has mischaracterised the position. It is the Prime Minister who has made a big bold offer to EU citizens, and it is now for member states to reciprocate.
Contingency Planning — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Civil Rights
Questions: If the Bill that passed through this House yesterday becomes an Act of Parliament, it would govern what we do in this country, but of course we cannot guarantee a no deal, because the European Union might not agree to an extension. So will the Secretary of State confirm that the Government will continue to prepare for no deal despite any Act of Parliament, because what happens is not within our control?; The Scottish Parliament tonight will vote overwhelmingly, I am sure, to oppose this Government’s intention to crash out with a no deal and to condemn their decision to prorogue Parliament for five solid weeks. Nobody in Scotland voted for no deal, and Scotland voted overwhelmingly to remain in the European Union, so will the Government pay attention to the views of Scotland, or do they simply not care?
Stephen Paul Barclay (Conservative, Centre-right): Not just this Government will pay attention; I am sure the people of Scotland will pay attention to a vote against democracy. It is not the first time that those on the SNP Benches have ignored the votes of the British people, whether in the referendum in 2014 that they want to overturn or in the referendum of the United Kingdom in 2016. They seem to have a problem with listening to the democratic will of the people.
Contingency Planning — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Mixed Topics
Questions: If the Bill that passed through this House yesterday becomes an Act of Parliament, it would govern what we do in this country, but of course we cannot guarantee a no deal, because the European Union might not agree to an extension. So will the Secretary of State confirm that the Government will continue to prepare for no deal despite any Act of Parliament, because what happens is not within our control?; The Scottish Parliament tonight will vote overwhelmingly, I am sure, to oppose this Government’s intention to crash out with a no deal and to condemn their decision to prorogue Parliament for five solid weeks. Nobody in Scotland voted for no deal, and Scotland voted overwhelmingly to remain in the European Union, so will the Government pay attention to the views of Scotland, or do they simply not care?
Stephen Paul Barclay (Conservative, Centre-right): It is always the case that in Government we prepare documents in order to ensure that we have preparations in place. The point is to determine what is likely to be the impact on the EU27, for example, and what we can put in place to address concerns such as those on the flow of goods. I referred earlier to the fact that two thirds of Ireland’s medicines come through Britain. I could also have mentioned the fact that 40% of Irish exports go through Dover. This is an issue that concerns the Commission and the United Kingdom. That is why we are preparing these documents, and we are working openly with the Scottish Government and others on that. That is what the Government should be doing.
EU Settlement Scheme — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Immigration
James Philip Duddridge (Conservative, Centre-right): I spoke to the Home Secretary this week on the issues of the EU settlement scheme. The scheme is operating well: 1 million people have passed through the scheme out of the 3 million, and there have been no rejected applications. The Prime Minister has made a big, bold offer to EU citizens, who remain our friends and neighbours and who are welcome here in the United Kingdom.
EU Settlement Scheme — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Immigration
James Philip Duddridge (Conservative, Centre-right): We have improved the system on an ongoing basis, and we are keen to do so. The default position is that we want people to get that settled status. The hon. Gentleman makes specific points about a specific case, and I am sure that the Home Office would be happy to look at that and to understand how it can improve the system further.
Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Mixed Topics
Stephen Paul Barclay (Conservative, Centre-right): Under the current position, that would depend upon to which member state the situation pertained. We already have in place a bilateral arrangement with Ireland to reflect the common travel area, but the arrangements vary between member states. However, the premise of the hon. Lady’s question is right, because the UK puts more data into the European arrest warrant system than any other member state, and we think that the UK’s contribution is of value to the European Union and that it is not in its interest to put its citizens at risk by not reciprocating. We stand ready to work with member states, but it is the European Commission and my counterpart Michel Barnier who have ruled out what he calls "mini-deals" to address the hon. Lady’s concerns.
HS2 — House of Commons, 2019-09-05
Topic: Housing
Grant Shapps (Conservative, Centre-right): First, on the budget and the schedule, it is exactly as I said in my opening statement: I completely agree with my right hon. Friend that there is no future in trying to obscure costs or in being unclear. It is the case that in a massive, developing infrastructure project—Europe’s biggest—costs just are not known. They are speculated about and then start to firm up, in this case, literally as we start to dig into the ground. I can see how over a period of time things move. None the less, I take the view that as soon as I have the information, I will inform the House—as soon as I got that Cook report and the House returned, I stuck it straight into the Library. I assure my right hon. Friend that I will continue to do exactly that going forward Secondly, it might be helpful to colleagues to know that I have asked for Douglas Oakervee to meet Members of Parliament. He will be in Committee Room 2A on Monday 9 September, between 3.30 pm and 5 pm. That is an opportunity for any colleagues to go and see him. Colleagues can make their own arrangements with him separately, and I will inform the House of that Thirdly, on the enabling works, we are in a position where I have to make a go/no-go decision in December. I know that this will not a delight my right hon. Friend, but it seemed to me that if we did not continue to make preparatory works, I would not even be in the position to make a go/no-go decision. I am sorry to disappoint my right hon. Friend, but that is the current position. We can then take a decision. I share my right hon. Friend’s concern and anxiety about compulsory purchase order payments. When people’s lives, livelihoods and homes are potentially going to be ripped apart by a project that is supposedly for the wider good, it is right that the state compensates them promptly and efficiently. I would be most grateful to see more details of the cases he mentioned. I have already had one across my desk, which I have sorted out, and I would like to see others. There is no excuse for a CPO for which people are not paid.