argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
Migration and Economic Development Partnership with Rwanda — House of Commons, 2022-06-15
Topic: Immigration
Christine Anne Jardine (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): I wonder whether the Home Secretary realises the extent to which her determination to pursue this immoral, expensive and already failing policy is damaging the firm and fair immigration system to which she says she is committed—to the extent that amongst one of the very many complaints and letters that I have received on immigration matters was one from someone who has sponsored a youngster, then in Ethiopia, for 18 years and has been refused a visa to bring him over for a visit this summer, on the grounds that the forms were not filled in correctly and there was a problem with the interview. The interview never took place, and the forms that were incorrectly filled in were filled in by the former Member for Edinburgh West, my predecessor as MP, who is well acquainted with the immigration system. So will the Home Secretary stop this obsession and deal with those issues?
Bill of Rights — House of Commons, 2022-06-22
Topic: Civil Rights
Alexander Morrison Carmichael (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): Paragraph 2 of the human rights chapter of the Good Friday agreement provides that "The British Government will complete incorporation into Northern Ireland law of the European Convention on Human Rights…with direct access to the courts, and remedies for breach of the Convention" Can the Justice Secretary tell the House whether the Bill constitutes a unilateral repudiation of that, or is that something that he has negotiated with the Government of Ireland?
Support for People Fleeing War in Ukraine — House of Commons, 2022-06-20
Topic: Immigration
Jamie Hume Stone (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): The small village of Golspie in Sutherland will shortly be hosting seven families from Ukraine. There is no lack of people in the Highlands volunteering to put up those good people, who are getting as far as the UK but seem to be getting blocked in hotels and not getting to the families in the Highlands. Will the Home Secretary talk to the Scottish Government with a view to sorting out that logjam?
Points-based Immigration System: Labour Shortages — House of Commons, 2022-06-20
Topic: Immigration
Wendy Anne Chamberlain (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): There is a severe shortage of care workers around the UK. In St Andrews in my constituency, a social care business had to shut down recently because of staffing issues. My inbox is increasingly full of messages from people who are waiting for care-at-home packages. One way of helping would be to allow asylum seekers to work while their claims are being processed: it would allow them to support themselves and would mitigate the worst of the shortages. Will the Secretary of State and the Minister consider that?
Adviser on Ministerial Interests — House of Commons, 2022-06-21
Topic: Other
Alexander Morrison Carmichael (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): I am grateful to the Minister for giving way eventually. I am sure that we all share his aspiration to have a process in future that commands public confidence, but he has not yet mentioned what it was about the previous system that did not command public confidence. What was it?
UK-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement — House of Commons, 2022-03-10
Topic: Mixed Topics
Questions: If he will hold discussions with the Secretary of State for International Trade on the potential effect on farmers and crofters in the highlands and islands of the UK-New Zealand free trade agreement. [R]
Alexander Morrison Carmichael (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): The Secretary of State’s decision to seek advice from the Trade and Agriculture Commission is welcome, but the questions on which he seeks advice all seem to revolve around standards. Important though standards are, they are not the full story as far as the crofters and farmers in my constituency are concerned. Will the Secretary of State encourage his right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade to take a more farmer and crofter-focused approach? This week the Government’s own figures indicated that that trade deal risks taking £150 million out of British agriculture.
Refugees from Ukraine — House of Commons, 2022-03-10
Topic: Immigration
Wera Benedicta Hobhouse (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): It is disappointing that the right hon. Lady needs to be dragged here to make the process simpler and quicker. A lot of the people in this country will not understand why it is so complicated. She has already responded to the hon. Member for East Worthing and Shoreham (Tim Loughton) on why we cannot just let people come here and have the checks done here, as we do for millions of visitors from non-visa countries. So will she at least commit to looking into whether that is possible, because Ukrainians who flee war have gone through days and weeks of trauma and exhaustion, and they deserve to be treated better?
International Women’s Day — House of Commons, 2022-03-10
Topic: Other
Wera Benedicta Hobhouse (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): The hon. Lady is bringing to our attention a very interesting woman who made a lot of scientific progress. Does she know about Caroline Herschel? Together with her brother, she was an astronomer. She did more work than him, but her work was not recognised. Does she agree that we need to sing the praises of women from the past as much as possible?
International Women’s Day — House of Commons, 2022-03-10
Topic: Civil Rights
Wera Benedicta Hobhouse (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): I just want to clarify this point. Because there are some predatory men who will always find loopholes for violence, is that a reason for not protecting the most vulnerable people that we have—that is, the transgender community?
HM Passport Office Backlogs — House of Commons, 2022-04-27
Topic: Immigration
Wendy Anne Chamberlain (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): The Minister said in his opening remarks that over 90% of applications were meeting the timescales, but the particular problems, based on my own casework, seem to be with first-time applications and children. As we have seen with the Homes for Ukraine scheme, we are leaving families hanging while they wait for a child’s application to be processed. What assessment has he made of how the Passport Office is linking applications together, because too many families are losing out while waiting for one application to be processed?
HM Passport Office Backlogs — House of Commons, 2022-04-27
Topic: Immigration
Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): Over the past year, I and my team have been supporting Mr and Mrs Puri from Whitton in my constituency. Mrs Puri’s brother and sister-in-law in India both died of covid, leaving behind very young children without parents. Mrs Puri has been in India, separated from her children here, for a year trying to adopt her niece and nephew and bring them over. Thankfully, a little over two months ago they were granted British citizenship. She applied for passports for those children immediately. Despite my interventions, they are still waiting for their passports. Will the Minister please urgently look at this tragic and exceptional case and meet me, so that the whole Puri family can be reunited after a year and those young Indian children can start their new life here in the UK?
HM Passport Office Backlogs — House of Commons, 2022-04-27
Topic: Mixed Topics
Christine Anne Jardine (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): I appreciate what the Minister says about understanding the problems, but I feel that saying to people, "Get your applications in on time," does not really cover it. One of our main problems is that when our staff call, they are asked whether it is passports, Ukraine or other. Most of the cases that need to be expedited come under "other", but when they go on to that line, the people there say, "Email us." We are already doing that and emails are lying there unanswered for two months. At the moment, in every area, the Home Office seems to be high on rhetoric and low on delivery. Can the Minister take back to the Secretary of the State that this is simply not working anymore and that drastic action is needed to knock the system into shape?
Elections Bill — House of Commons, 2022-04-27
Topic: Civil Rights
Christine Anne Jardine (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): On the hon. Gentleman’s point about birth certificates, like many other married women in this country, my professional name is different from my married name, but it has always been accepted by the Passport Office, the bank and every other legal authority I know that my marriage certificate, which has both names on it, is proof that I am the same person. I cannot understand why the Government will not accept it as identification when voting.
Ukraine — House of Commons, 2022-04-26
Topic: Immigration
Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): Does the right hon. Gentleman agree that, although it is clear on the Order Paper that the Foreign Secretary and her Department will be responding to this debate, the relevant documents include petitions relating to visas and it would be helpful if a Home Office Minister joined the debate to hear Members’ concerns?
Ukraine — House of Commons, 2022-04-26
Topic: Immigration
Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): The hon. Lady is absolutely right, and it is critical that local councils know how to plan their services The final point from our local council was that refuges apparently cannot swap from the Ukraine family scheme to the Homes for Ukraine scheme if the accommodation does not work. I have put a lot of questions on the record, and I sincerely hope that the Government have listened. I have already sent two letters to the refugees Minister, and tomorrow I will send a third. I am bitterly disappointed, as my constituents will be, that we do not have a Minister from the Home Office to respond to the debate. I am begging the Government: please listen to these concerns, and please, please fix the system.
HM Passport Office Backlog — House of Commons, 2022-06-14
Topic: Immigration
Christine Anne Jardine (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): The point that the hon. Member is making is the most significant one we should make here today. Yes, the Home Office has shown itself to be unfit for purpose at the moment, but these delays in passports and visas—we are also seeing it with driving licences—are having an enormous impact on the lives of ordinary people up and down this country. Every constituency is inundated with people whose lives have been turned upside down by Home Office incompetence. Does he agree that it is past time it did something about it?
HM Passport Office Backlog — House of Commons, 2022-06-14
Topic: Immigration
Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): I thank the Minister for giving way. He mentioned the 10-week period during which most passport applications are dealt with. A constituent of mine applied for a straightforward passport renewal 13 weeks ago; she has to know today whether to cancel her holiday or try to wing it and possibly lose £3,500. My team of caseworkers have been to the hub in Portcullis House a number of times but were told this morning that there is no guarantee she will get an answer today. What does the Minister think I should tell her?
HM Passport Office Backlog — House of Commons, 2022-06-14
Topic: Immigration
Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): I am grateful to the Minister for giving way to me. Much of the discussion so far has been about delays, and most of my cases are about delays. However, I have one constituent whose original passport and application have been lost by the Passport Office, and he stands to lose his holiday. It is now the subject of a police investigation. As my constituent is waiting for the second application to be processed, will the Minister clarify whether the 10-week clock starts again? What recourse is there for my constituent if he loses his holiday because the Passport Office lost his passport and application?
Hate Crime: Misogyny — House of Commons, 2022-02-23
Topic: Civil Rights
Christine Anne Jardine (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): I thank the Minister for that, but the reality is that more than 80% of 18 to 24-year-olds have already experienced sexual harassment in a public place. If the Government were to legislate, it would allow the police to act. Does she not agree that, more importantly, it would also send a message out to people across this country that misogyny, sexual harassment and bullying based on gender is unacceptable in every sector of life?
Hate Crime: Misogyny — House of Commons, 2022-02-23
Topic: Civil Rights
Sarah Louise Green (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): I fear that I am going to ask the Minister to repeat herself, because the Government’s response to persistent violence against women and girls has been to support the Path Community app, which asks women to protect themselves by sharing journeys home, and to launch StreetSafe, which asks women to report where they feel unsafe. That yet again puts the onus on women when they are not the problem. Last year, a study of sexual aggression in UK male university students found a correlation between misogynistic views and a proclivity for sexual violence against women. What message does it send that the Government’s response to persistent violence against women is, "There’s an app for that."? I urge the Minister, please, to tackle the root cause and work with the Home Office to make misogyny a hate crime.
Points of Order — House of Commons, 2022-02-23
Topic: Public Lands
Christine Anne Jardine (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): On a point of order, Mr Speaker. The House will be aware that recent storms have battered and bruised much of the country. First Storm Arwen hit parts of Scotland, and more recently Storms Dudley, Eunice and Franklin left more than half a million homes without power and saw some rivers burst their banks. We have been reached out to by people in Sussex and Surrey, specifically near Guildford and in areas such as Peaslake, Frimley Green and Cranleigh, which are still without power after the storms. Have you had any indication, Mr Speaker, of a forthcoming Government statement about those ongoing issues? Have Ministers made any commitments about travelling to meet people in those areas that are still affected by the storms?
Rural Communities in Cumbria: Levelling Up — House of Commons, 2022-02-23
Topic: Housing
Timothy James Farron (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman, my neighbour, for securing this important debate and I congratulate him on a good speech. Does he agree that the communities of which he rightly speaks are at huge risk as affordable and family homes collapse into the Airbnb and second homes sector? There cannot really be levelling up for rural Cumbria if the Government will not take action to ensure that those communities are protected and that a limit is put on the number of Airbnbs and second homes that there can be in our communities.
Rural Communities in Cumbria: Levelling Up — House of Commons, 2022-02-23
Topic: Housing
Timothy James Farron (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): Given the urgency of this, I cannot stress how important it is that action is taken, well, yesterday really. In the South Lakeland District, there has been a 32% rise in the number of holiday lets in one single year. That is the private rented sector collapsing into the "not lived in" market. We need action now. Let us please not have another inquiry.
Referral of Prime Minister to Committee of Privileges — House of Commons, 2022-04-21
Topic: Other
Layla Michelle Moran (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): I am grateful to the Leader of the Opposition for giving way. He mentioned some of the arguments around, "Well, it was just nine minutes." I met a woman, the daughter of a serviceman who lost his life the week before that birthday party. She said to me, "What I wouldn’t give for just nine more minutes with him." I congratulate the right hon. and learned Gentleman on the way he is rising above party politics here. To diminish nine minutes as just anything diminishes us all across both sides of the House. Would he not agree?
Referral of Prime Minister to Committee of Privileges — House of Commons, 2022-04-21
Topic: Other
Alexander Morrison Carmichael (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): The right hon. and learned Gentleman is entirely correct to prosecute the case on the basis of principle, but there is still an amendment on the Order Paper, even if the Government will not move it, which would indicate that not everyone in the House shares his view of the importance of these principles. Does he share my view that at the conclusion of this debate there should be a Division, so that we know where every single Member of this House stands on the principles? At a time like this, on an issue like this, there should be no hiding place for anyone.
Referral of Prime Minister to Committee of Privileges — House of Commons, 2022-04-21
Topic: Other
Wera Benedicta Hobhouse (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): Let us assume that the Prime Minister inadvertently misled the House. Is not the problem that, from the beginning, he was not straight with us? Even if he knew that he was at a birthday singsong with a birthday cake, why did he delay being straight with Parliament for such a long time? Is it not the case that we are here today, so close to the local elections, because of the delay that has been caused by him, not by those of us on the Opposition Benches?
Referral of Prime Minister to Committee of Privileges — House of Commons, 2022-04-21
Topic: Other
Christine Anne Jardine (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): The hon. Gentleman is making a very sound legal argument, and I acknowledge where he is coming from. Does he agree that, in politics as in life, very often there comes a point where one needs one’s closest friends, one’s strongest allies, one’s wisest counsel, to put a hand on one’s shoulder and say, "Enough. What you’re doing now is going too far. It’s damaging yourself, in this case your party, and potentially the country. Stop. That is what is in the best interest."?
Referral of Prime Minister to Committee of Privileges — House of Commons, 2022-04-21
Topic: Other
Wera Benedicta Hobhouse (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): The hon. Gentleman talks about redemption and forgiveness, but should not things be done at the earliest point possible rather than drawing them out like the Prime Minister has done? This is his main problem. Had he come here immediately and at least expressed his doubt about maybe being at something that he did not consider to be a party, it would have been better, but the fact that he denied everything is the main problem that we in this House find so difficult to swallow.
Referral of Prime Minister to Committee of Privileges — House of Commons, 2022-04-21
Topic: Mixed Topics
Timothy James Farron (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): I am grateful to the Father of the House for that clarification. My point absolutely stands: this is only a local election issue—and it is—because the Conservative party has not delivered the justice that it was in its hands to deliver My patch has an interesting history. It was Conservative for 100 years until we won it in 2005. We had some great wins and some narrow wins, and there is one ward that we have never won, even in my best years—although perhaps they are ahead of me, who knows? I was knocking on doors in that ward and met a couple who had sometimes voted Conservative, had normally voted UK Independence party and had voted Brexit party but had never voted for us. They told me that they were going to vote for us in the local elections because it was the only way they could think of to deliver justice. They felt weak and powerless because of a man with whom they agreed on many issues who they felt could no longer lead the country because of that lack of integrity We are two years on from when many of those things took place. Our memories can play tricks on us, we move on and we do not live in the moment of those times. They were not pleasant, and we choose to forget them to a degree, don’t we? However, it is important that we do not forget what that meant, not just for the elderly couple I spoke to on Sunday, but for many others—for hundreds of people that we know. For weeks on end, I wrote letters of commiseration to people who had lost loved ones. We all did that. There were people who could not be with a dying parent or a dying child. There were people who spent Christmas alone, and for many of them it was their last Christmas. It was so hard to explain to young children why their birthday parties could not take place. We went through all sorts of privations Gill Haigh, the chief exec of Cumbria Tourism, and I argued to stop people visiting the Lake district, even though we knew it was ruining our economy, because we believed in the health, safety and wellbeing of the people who would have come and of those who work in the community. Sacrifices were made and the Prime Minister made laws that we agreed with and that were important. Why? To save lives, to protect the NHS, to do the right British thing and look after one another, and to love our neighbour. Yet within hours, it appears, the ink drying on his edicts, he was habitually breaking them. There is no question but that this was and is a resignation matter.
Australia-UK Free Trade Agreement: Scrutiny — House of Commons, 2022-07-19
Topic: Mixed Topics
Helen Margaret Lilian Morgan (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): When l have spoken to farmers in my constituency, they have said that they are very concerned about the deal. They have used phrases such as "sold out" and "bargained away". They want us to come here and represent their views, because they feel that this deal sets a precedent for all the future trade deals that will come along. It is important for us to have the opportunity to reflect their concerns in this place, and I ask the Minister to reconsider.
Australia-UK Free Trade Agreement: Scrutiny — House of Commons, 2022-07-19
Topic: Mixed Topics
Richard John Foord (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): Jilly Greed farms near where I live in Devon. She is a co-founder of Ladies in Beef, and this is what she wrote about the trade deal: "This is like Christmas all over for Australia. There are currently 3,700 tonnes of product coming in from Australia. The agreement will increase it to 45 times that in 15 years." Are the Government afraid that the true extent of the damage to west country farmers from this trade deal would be laid bare by full parliamentary scrutiny?
Support for the Welsh Economy and Funding for the Devolved Institutions — House of Commons, 2022-07-05
Topic: Mixed Topics
Jamie Hume Stone (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): The hon. Member’s contribution is very good, and it actually rings a bell with me. In years gone by, were not the sheer rurality and distance factors in both Scotland and Wales tackled by the European Community’s objective 1 structural funding, which was carefully calculated to assist those areas that had the biggest disadvantage? The challenge for the UK Government is to try to do something similar—if they ever will—to what the EC used to do for us.
Women’s Rights to Reproductive Healthcare: United States — House of Commons, 2022-06-28
Topic: Civil Rights
Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrats, Centre to centre-left): The House will know that 50 new clinics have been targeted by protesters in England and Wales since 2018. Will the Minister commit to speaking to her counterparts in the Home Office to legislate for the protection of those visiting an abortion clinic?