argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
Health and Care Bill — House of Lords, 2022-01-31
Topic: Mixed Topics
Syed Kamall (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank the noble Lord for his question. The goal is to make sure that the NHS and local authorities work better together. The noble Lord talks about resources. One of the reasons for the levy—whatever one thinks of it—is to help plug that gap and to make sure that there is more money going into social care as well Turning to the points made about the term "carer", we believe that the term is used to capture the whole spectrum of carers, including children and adults who care, unpaid, for a friend or family member. By not imposing a statutory definition, we avoid inadvertently excluding groups, and ensure that ICBs and NHS England promote the involvement of all types of carers and representatives Turning to the last amendment in this group, existing legislation already requires local authorities to carry out an assessment of need for all young carers upon request or on the appearance of need. This assessment must consider whether it is appropriate or excessive for the young carer to provide care, in the light of the young carer’s needs and wishes. Indeed, as some noble Lords have said, sometimes what happens is that the hospital may decide it is appropriate but those who are supposed to be doing the caring at home do not feel they have the ability We hope that under this, as part of the discharge planning, the current discharge guidance can set out any considerations that should be given to young people in the household who have caring responsibilities. We want to strengthen current processes in respect of young carers too. We are also working with the Department for Education to ensure that protections for young carers are reflected in the new guidance, including setting out where young carers should have a needs assessment arranged before a patient for whom they provide care is discharged, or as soon as possible afterwards Given the comments from noble Lords, especially the noble Baroness, Lady Pitkeathley, and the noble Lord, Lord Warner—sorry, I should say, General Pitkeathley and Major Warner—clearly there are still some concerns over how this will work. It would be worthwhile having some more conversations on this issue to better understand how we see integrated care working, where there may well be gaps in our understanding and whether we can help to close the gaps between the two sides.
Sue Gray Report — House of Lords, 2022-01-31
Topic: Mixed Topics
Natalie Evans (Conservative, Centre-right): As I have said, I cannot comment on the ongoing Met investigation, but what I can say is that the Prime Minister has said—or the Government have now said—that at the end of the process, following the Met investigation, the Prime Minister will ask Sue Gray to update her work in the light of what is found and we will publish that update.
Sue Gray Report — House of Lords, 2022-01-31
Topic: Other
Patrick Cormack (Conservative, Centre-right): My Lords, we should all be grateful to my noble friend for delivering this very shameful Statement with such dignity. We must also recognise that the leadership of any campaign must be from the elected House. However, would it not be reasonable to say that what this Statement from the Prime Minister amounts to is, very simply, mea culpa?
Sue Gray Report — House of Lords, 2022-01-31
Topic: Other
Natalie Evans (Conservative, Centre-right): I certainly agree with my noble friend that there should be no finger-pointing. As the Prime Minister said, we need to look in the mirror and learn for ourselves. However, I would push back slightly on my noble friend’s characterisation of special advisers, not least because I am married to a former one. That is not a fair assertion across the piece. There are of course things we need to learn and ways in which we need to work better. This Statement makes that clear, and we now all need to work together and move forward to make sure we can implement the changes that are needed, in order to ensure that lessons are learned from what we have discovered.
Sue Gray Report — House of Lords, 2022-01-31
Topic: Other
Natalie Evans (Conservative, Centre-right): No, the Prime Minister has been quite clear that, at the end of the process, he will ask Sue Gray to update her work in light of what has been found, and it will be published.
Sue Gray Report — House of Lords, 2022-01-31
Topic: Mixed Topics
Andrew Lansley (Conservative, Centre-right): My Lords, Sue Gray’s report did not extend to the question of what was said to the House of Commons by the Prime Minister in relation to these events over a number of months. Could my noble friend say when and by what means the Prime Minister is proposing to correct the record for the House, when it was inadvertently or otherwise misled?
Sue Gray Report — House of Lords, 2022-01-31
Topic: Mixed Topics
Natalie Evans (Conservative, Centre-right): At all times, the Prime Minister has set out his understanding of events. He has taken full responsibility and apologised. He wants to make changes to address these issues and will work tirelessly to regain people’s trust.
Sue Gray Report — House of Lords, 2022-01-31
Topic: Other
Patience Wheatcroft (Conservative, Centre-right): My Lords, the Sue Gray report, even in its redacted form, is very critical of what went on at No. 10. The Leader has repeatedly said that Boris Johnson accepts full responsibility for what took place. We are now led to believe that several heads will roll as a result, but not, it seems, that of the Prime Minister. I wonder whether the Leader could say whether that seems right.
Sue Gray Report — House of Lords, 2022-01-31
Topic: Mixed Topics
Natalie Evans (Conservative, Centre-right): As the Statement makes clear, the Prime Minister has said to the people of this country that he knows the issue is trust and that we are a Government who can be trusted to deliver. He also understands that we need to work tirelessly to prove that.
Sue Gray Report — House of Lords, 2022-01-31
Topic: Mixed Topics
Natalie Evans (Conservative, Centre-right): We have said that the Prime Minister has apologised. He wants to look at making changes. He has taken responsibility and we are now looking at how we can implement these findings in order to address many of the concerns that have been expressed.
Data Protection: Immigration Exemption — House of Lords, 2022-01-31
Topic: Immigration
Susan Williams (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank noble Lords who have spoken in this debate. As noble Lords will know, paragraph 4 of Schedule 2 to the Data Protection Act 2018 outlines specific rights under the UK GDPR that can be restricted if they would likely prejudice either "the maintenance of effective immigration control, or … the investigation or detection of activities that would undermine the maintenance of effective immigration control", known as the immigration exemption. As noble Lords have pointed out, these regulations amend the immigration exemption, following the judgment in the case of Open Rights Group & another v the Secretary of State for the Home Department. This statutory instrument builds on existing safeguards of individual rights and should be welcomed.
Health and Care Bill — House of Lords, 2022-01-31
Topic: Other
Thomas Ashton (Conservative, Centre-right): My Lords, before we resume the debate, perhaps I may point out that we went very quickly last Wednesday—many thanks for that excellent performance. The last group also went quickly. May I respectfully point out that we need to do nine and a half groups this evening? Once again, I ask noble Lords to acknowledge how much we still have to do on this Bill and adjust their contributions accordingly if at all possible.
Health and Care Bill — House of Lords, 2022-01-31
Topic: Other
Syed Kamall (Conservative, Centre-right): I am afraid that I am not entirely sure of the answer to that, but I hope that we have raised awareness. I am very happy to have a conversation with my noble friend to see what more can be done, if anything.
Health and Care Bill — House of Lords, 2022-01-31
Topic: Mixed Topics
Syed Kamall (Conservative, Centre-right): Perhaps I may move on to Amendment 235, on setting the cap based on the recommendations of the Commission on Funding of Care and Support and moving the implementation date by a year. For local authorities to make a change of this magnitude this year is undeliverable. They have told us that the original plan to implement for October 2023 is already an ambitious target Setting the level of the cap has been a fine balance. The Government have had to consider the longer-term cost of reform and what proportion of the future levy revenues to earmark for this purpose and other purposes. Retrospectively to impose a cap on care costs for everyone in the care system and to include their care costs during their lifetimes in the cap calculation is unfeasible I would like to have some further conversations with the noble Lord on Amendment 236A, if that is possible. I thank him for some of his suggestions to date. There is a real debate about how feasible a private solution is. I remember in an earlier debate the noble Lord rightly chastising me and saying that it was rather embarrassing for a Labour Peer to propose to a Conservative Peer a private sector solution. That hurt—but I completely understand. If it is possible, I personally would have been open to it, but the Government maintain that it is not feasible. We will probably need some more discussions This clause clearly needs a lot more discussion between now and Report. I could go into more arguments but, given that there was a lack of debate in the other place, I think that it needs more debate and more consideration overall. I am very happy to have more round tables with the Bill team, the charging team and noble Lords to explain the case, and for noble Lords to decide whether it is an acceptable case or still to disagree with it. With that in mind, I hope that noble Lords feel sufficiently reassured not to press their amendments at this stage and to allow the clause to stand part of the Bill. I beg leave to withdraw my amendment.
Building Safety Bill — House of Lords, 2022-02-02
Topic: Housing
David John Maclean (Conservative, Centre-right): Ahem. We will also need some Henry VIII clauses to make those changes to existing Acts of Parliament. It is a tall order, but in the time we have, we can do it. We cannot at this stage set out all the details in new clauses since we do not know exactly what powers and provisions we will need. However, we can draft sufficiently wide regulatory powers to deal with all eventualities. Naturally, I want these to take the affirmative procedure so that there is some element of proper parliamentary scrutiny Simply look at Clause 57. Five out of the eight new subsections begin with the words "regulations may" or similar, so the Government have already taken wide regulatory powers. In any case, no matter when we take forward a primary Act—in this Bill, next year or in two years’ time—we will still need extensive regulation-making powers for all the details. I say let us do it now so that all those who have raked in billions from property deals see that this Government and this Parliament mean business—I have almost finished I know that my amendments will have dozens of technical flaws and will need beefing up and filling out. But that is what government lawyers and the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel are for. All I want to do is set the parameters of the action we need to take—and we need to take that action because lease- holders, as the innocent parties, demand nothing less. We need to take it so that all developers and contractors see this sword of Damocles hanging over their heads, because that is the only way they will ever pay up I look forward to debating this further in Committee and to getting support from your Lordships, if not for the exact details then at least for the concept of my amendments. In the meantime, I warmly support the Bill.
Northern Ireland (Ministers, Elections, and Petitions of Concern) Bill — House of Lords, 2022-02-07
Topic: Other
Frederick Richard Penn Curzon (Conservative, Centre-right): That Standing Order 38(1) (Arrangement of the Order Paper) be dispensed with on Wednesday 9 February to enable consideration of the Commons Reason on the Advanced Research and Invention Agency Bill, and Report stage of the Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Bill to take place before oral questions that day.
Building Safety Bill — House of Lords, 2022-02-07
Topic: Housing
Stephen Greenhalgh (Conservative, Centre-right): That it be an instruction to the Grand Committee to which the Building Safety Bill has been committed that they consider the bill in the following order: Clause 2, Schedule 1, Clauses 3 to 21, Schedule 2, Clauses 22 to 26, Schedule 3, Clauses 27 to 42, Schedule 4, Clauses 43 to 54, Schedule 5, Clause 55, Schedule 6, Clauses 56 to 104, Schedule 7, Clauses 105 to 113, Schedule 8, Clauses 114 to 121, Schedules 9 and 10, Clauses 122 to 128, Schedule 11, Clauses 129 to 143, Clause 1, Title.
Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Bill [HL] — House of Lords, 2022-02-07
Topic: Housing
Stephen Greenhalgh (Conservative, Centre-right): Okay. I am just getting used to this process. On Amendment 6, it is really helpful that the noble Lord, Lord Stunell, raised the issue of timing. Of course, in order to start the gun, if you like, we need Royal Assent, and then there needs to be a commitment around commencement, which means having all the regulations in place. So let us get this Bill on the statute book as quickly as possible. I have already made a commitment—which perhaps goes beyond where I should have gone because I am, perhaps, a little naive—that, within six months of Royal Assent, we will have commencement. So we know what the window is, effectively, because I made that commitment at the Dispatch Box and I do not want to let anyone down. That is the timeframe: let us get Royal Assent and then, within six months, we will have commencement—and that is the period of time we should be concerned about We have very genuinely tried to respond to the issues that have been raised to ensure that the greatest number of people are aware of the dangers and the risks of carrying out a lease extension in that window in a way that would be detrimental to their interests. That is why we have that suite of communications measures. I hope, therefore, that with that and a better understanding of the timeframe, the noble Lord, Lord Stunell, will withdraw his amendment. On the timing, I have now been in post and responsible for leasehold reform for nearly two years—I have survived one reshuffle—and it is fair to say that both Secretaries of State, particularly the right honourable gentleman in the other place, are absolutely committed to the second wave of leasehold reform, which will be far harder than this modest ground rents Bill. I cannot give a commitment about what will appear, but my expectations are that leasehold reform will be front and centre around his ambition for a wider reform of housing.
Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Bill [HL] — House of Lords, 2022-02-07
Topic: Housing
Stephen Greenhalgh (Conservative, Centre-right): My Lords, I have a few words in conclusion to thank everybody who has worked so hard to get the Bill to this stage. I thank particularly the noble and learned Lord, Lord Etherton, who has been helpful in tidying up this Bill, the noble Earl, Lord Lytton, with his knowledge as a professional surveyor, and my noble friends Lord Young of Cookham and Lord Hammond of Runnymede, who have been extremely insightful I probably should put on record, because I forgot to do so until the very last moment, my residential and commercial interests. I want to make sure that I have declared them, although they are properly set out in my declaration of interests I also thank the Benches opposite. I have had to deal with changes and am sorry to have lost the noble Lord, Lord Kennedy, who I believe has gone off to be Chief Whip. Then Labour sent the noble Baroness, Lady Blake of Leeds, from Yorkshire. and now we have the noble Baroness, Lady Hayman of Ullock, who has an incredible reputation in the other place for being fair-minded and constructive. It is marvellous to work with her. It has been great to work with the Liberal Democrats as well. I will even thank the noble Baroness, Lady Pinnock; she described herself as a Yorkshire terrier, which is why my ankles seem to get bitten quite a bit when she intervenes; she does so on behalf of the interests of leaseholders and fighting their corner, which is appreciated The noble Baroness, Lady Grender, who is not in her place, raised the issue of the gap in the first place. I know the noble Lord, Lord Stunell, is representing her, but she raised an important matter, and it is to her credit that the Government have responded to those genuine concerns. I thank everybody—the Opposition Benches, the Liberal Democrats and the Cross Benches—for a very constructive approach to the Bill No Minister should ever leave the Dispatch Box without thanking the officials, many of whom are in the Box and have been simply tremendous in supporting me. We should all be proud of what this House is putting forward in legislation, which is much improved because of the contributions of noble Lords. I commend the Bill to the House.
Levelling Up — House of Lords, 2022-02-07
Topic: Mixed Topics
Stephen Greenhalgh (Conservative, Centre-right): Sorry, maybe noble Lords do not want to hear my response. I was pretty depressed at leading a council from 2006 to 2012 in one of the most deprived parts of the country, according to the index of multiple deprivation: White City—
Levelling Up — House of Lords, 2022-02-07
Topic: Mixed Topics
Stephen Greenhalgh (Conservative, Centre-right): My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness for raising that on behalf of parish and town councils. I think she is saying that they are excluded from the UK shared prosperity fund, as things stand. The UK shared prosperity fund money has not yet been spent. There has been the community renewal fund, which is like a pathfinder. I will take that away, go back to my department and understand some of the thinking; it is a fair point. Another fair point is that we need to make it easy for people to apply. We do not want to see a lot of money spent on the bureaucracy of grant applications; we want to help people back into work and to get on with their lives.
Levelling Up — House of Lords, 2022-02-07
Topic: Mixed Topics
Stephen Greenhalgh (Conservative, Centre-right): The noble Lord is throwing out words such as "Sure Start". That was an example of how not to govern: to throw loads of money in an incontinent way, set things up and then see it slowly withdrawn. That is not the way to transform people’s lives I will respond to my noble friend in writing on how we deal with the issue, because it obviously involves DfE and others.
Arrangement of Business — House of Lords, 2022-01-26
Topic: Other
Thomas Ashton (Conservative, Centre-right): My Lords, before we begin proceedings on the Bill, I thought it would be helpful if I outlined the arrangements for today. We will sit until 2 pm in Committee on the Bill. We will then break until 3 pm. At 3 pm, the House will return for Oral Questions. After Oral Questions, we will resume proceedings on the Bill. The House will break again at 6.45 pm for questions on a Statement on Ukraine. After the Statement, we will continue proceedings on the Health and Care Bill We have so far spent over 30 hours in Committee on this important Bill across five days. We have three days remaining to complete Committee. I am sure I speak for the whole House when I say that none of us wishes to debate important issues in the early hours of the morning, but without further progress on the Bill we might be left with no choice but to do this. We therefore need to ensure that the Bill receives proper scrutiny effectively, but succinctly I know, because I have had very helpful discussions with the Opposition Chief Whips and the Convenor, that the Front Benches will seek to ensure that all their contributions are brief and focused. I urge—indeed, beg—all noble Lords with an interest in this Bill to do the same, to be as concise as they feel able to be in their contributions, to speak briefly to the amendments before the Committee, and not to rehearse arguments that would be more suited to a Second Reading. In this way, we can ensure that all the amendments to this important Bill receive the attention they deserve.
Health and Care Bill — House of Lords, 2022-01-26
Topic: Other
Alastair Cooke (Conservative, Centre-right): My Lords, I have failed in my duty, and not for the first time. I should have stated before calling Amendment 145 that the noble Baronesses, Lady Brinton and Lady Harris of Richmond, will be taking part remotely. May I apologise, and invite the noble Baroness, Lady Brinton, to speak?
Health and Care Bill — House of Lords, 2022-01-26
Topic: Immigration
James Bethell (Conservative, Centre-right): My Lords, I will briefly say that I am extremely optimistic about family hubs. They answer the challenge to solve the complexity around integration incredibly well. My noble friend Lord Farmer made the point that one cannot think of a better example of what integration looks like than family hubs. The noble Baroness, Lady Tyler, talked clearly and persuasively about the journey they have been on My noble friend has made the case for these amendments. Other noble Lords have made the case for updating the legislative framework. I ask the Minister to look carefully at what can be done to bring these laws up to date so that family hubs can thrive, as I believe they will.
Arrangement of Business — House of Lords, 2022-01-26
Topic: Other
Thomas Ashton (Conservative, Centre-right): My Lords, for the benefit of noble Lords who were not in the Chamber at 11 am this morning, it may be helpful if I outline the arrangements for the remainder of today. We will shortly continue proceedings on the Health and Care Bill. The House will break again at 6.45 pm for questions on a Statement on Ukraine. After the Statement, we will continue proceedings on the Bill We have now spent over 33 hours in Committee on this important Bill. This morning, I urged—indeed, begged—all noble Lords with an interest in the Bill to be as concise as they felt able to be in their contributions, to speak to amendments that were before the Committee and not to rehearse arguments that would be more suited to Second Reading. I noted that the Front Benches would also seek to ensure that their contributions were brief and focused, and I am grateful for their co-operation this morning I am pleased that the House listened—a somewhat novel experience for this Government Chief Whip—and we made excellent progress this morning. However, we still have eight groups of amendments to get through today, and I once again implore Members to ensure that the debates remain as focused and succinct as they were before the break. In this way, we can ensure that all the amendments to this important Bill receive the attention they deserve. As I said this morning, I am sure I speak for the whole House when I say that none of us wishes to debate important issues in the early hours of the morning, so it is important that we continue in the way we started this morning.
Health and Care Bill — House of Lords, 2022-01-26
Topic: Other
Andrew Lansley (Conservative, Centre-right): My Lords, I shall be brief. I put my name to Clause 40 stand part, and I think that is the best way to go. I shall add one or two things. First, as Secretary of State, I asked the now noble Lord, Lord Ribeiro, to lead the independent reconfiguration panel, and I never had cause to regret doing so. Secondly, I can say something which other noble Lords cannot, because I am on this side, and I am hoping that we continue to have Conservative Secretaries of State for many years hence. They will be much better off if they do not do this. If the Government take Clause 40 out, they will equally not regret doing so.