argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
Assisted Dying (No. 2) Bill — House of Commons, 2015-09-11
Topic: Mixed Topics
Lyn Carol Brown (Labour, Centre-left): I am afraid that I cannot support this Bill. My concern is that we will fundamentally change the way that our society thinks about and deals with the terminally ill, severely disabled people and the vulnerable, troubled and elderly My mum died suddenly and unexpectedly, riddled by cancer, but I know that my mum, faced with a terminal prognosis in a world where there was the possibility of state-assisted suicide, acceptable and accepted by society, would have tormented herself during her last months with the question of when she should ask for that button to be pressed. She would have worried about the stresses that my sister and I would have endured, she would have worried about the weight of her care being shouldered by the nurses and the doctors, and she would have been anxious that folk would think that she was consuming too many resources, selfishly staying alive, costing money, when she could and should just die My mum was not vulnerable. She was not alone or a depressive. She was dearly loved; and yet I know that the mere existence of legal and assisted suicide would have placed an enormous burden on her. But what of those without a loving family? What of those elderly people—let us face it, they do exist—with families more interested in the cost of care, and its impact on their dwindling inheritance, than the priceless gift of life? Would not some of my more vulnerable constituents think that they ought to take a course of action because it is available and despite the safeguards in the Bill, which I acknowledge have been carefully crafted? Can we be absolutely sure that they would not be pressured into it It is naive to believe that we can prevent an elderly, expensive or asset-rich relative being encouraged, coerced or emotionally blackmailed into taking their own life. And if just one person makes that decision to end their life as a result of such pressure, that would be a tragedy The Bill seeks to provide the right to assistance in dying only to those who are terminally ill. I believe supporters of the Bill have real integrity and do not intend its scope to be extended further. But if the Bill is passed, I believe that its scope will be extended, partly by case law, to apply to more people. Holland introduced assisted dying for the terminally ill in 2002. Initially, hardly any patients with psychiatric illnesses or dementia sought suicide. Now, just 13 years later, assisted suicide is sought and granted to elderly, lonely or bereaved people. Pressure for doctors to accede to requests comes from patients and relatives, as I believe it will here.
Assisted Dying (No. 2) Bill — House of Commons, 2015-09-11
Topic: Other
Keir Starmer (Labour, Centre-left): Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. I will finish as quickly as I can. I understand the frustration of Members who are waiting to speak It took me a great deal of time and thought to arrive at appropriate safeguards in the guidelines. In my view the same amount of time and appropriate thought is necessary for the guidelines in the Bill. They have been discussed by others, so I will not repeat them, but what I will say is that I will be open to debate with anyone whether the safeguards are strong and robust enough, and I will work at Committee stage with anyone in this House to make sure not only that they are as strong and robust as possible, but that they have the best consensus possible among the different views held in this House.
Assisted Dying (No. 2) Bill — House of Commons, 2015-09-11
Topic: Other
John Woodcock (Labour, Centre-left): I am delighted to be called. This is the first time in my parliamentary career that I have been genuinely undecided when coming into the Chamber and I therefore wanted to listen to the entire debate. I have listened to every contribution so far, and I am still undecided I have been affected by the views of my constituents on both sides of the argument, and by the people who have spoken today. I have been particularly privileged to spend time with Clare Coulston, who is listening to the debate today. Her husband Paul died of motor neurone disease just two weeks ago, and she herself is in remission from a serious cancer and has two young children. She believes passionately that this Bill should pass, and has stated her views with wonderful eloquence, given the grief that she is suffering now. It would be easy for me to say that I of course agree with her, because she is my friend, but I am still utterly torn and still struggling. Thank you for calling me to speak, Madam Deputy Speaker, but I will let others who have prepared a speech take the Floor now.
Assisted Dying (No. 2) Bill — House of Commons, 2015-09-11
Topic: Other
Robert Charles Douglas Flello (Labour, Centre-left): On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. Is it in order for my hon. Friend the Member for Hammersmith (Andy Slaughter) to give his personal views at the Dispatch Box, when he is there in a party position?
Assisted Dying (No. 2) Bill — House of Commons, 2015-09-11
Topic: Other
Natascha Engel (Labour, Centre-left): The hon. Member for Hammersmith is entitled to say what he likes from the Dispatch Box. It is up to him, and my understanding is that this is a free vote anyway. With that, I call Mike Penning.
Assisted Dying (No. 2) Bill — House of Commons, 2015-09-11
Topic: Other
Jonathan Neil Reynolds (Labour, Centre-left): claimed to move the closure (Standing Order No. 36). Question put forthwith, That the Question be now put Question agreed to. Question put accordingly, That the Bill be now read a Second time The House proceeded to a Division.
Assisted Dying (No. 2) Bill — House of Commons, 2015-09-11
Topic: Other
Natascha Engel (Labour, Centre-left): It is indeed the case that voting in both Lobbies is discouraged, so it is not possible to register an abstention. I thank the hon. Gentleman for making that point and putting it on the record.
Representation of the People (Young Persons’ Enfranchisement and Education) Bill — House of Commons, 2015-09-11
Topic: Civil Rights
Victoria Jane Foxcroft (Labour, Centre-left): I beg to move, That the Bill be now read a Second time It is a great pleasure to follow such a high-quality debate—so much passion from Members on both sides. I know that many young people would have strong views on the positions taken in that important debate, and if they are able to engage on issues like that, surely they should be given the vote, allowing them the chance to decide who represents them. But it is not just on that subject that young people have strong views. Let us take the Scottish referendum. Young people were engaged: 75% of young people who were registered to vote did so. And when I visit schools in my constituency, the young people I speak to are motivated, enthusiastic and passionate. They are worried about their future. They are worried about what is happening around them—cuts to youth service provision, cuts to police numbers and about safety in their area. They want to have a say over their future education. They have a voice; they want to be heard. I have been told this time and time again. The strength of feeling among the young people that I have spoken to is clear, and it is for that reason that I chose to introduce the Bill While debating the EU referendum, this House had the opportunity to introduce votes for 16 and 17-year-olds, and it is such a shame that it did not. Many Members contributed to those debates, including many Conservative Members. For example, the hon. Member for Kingswood (Chris Skidmore) said that "surely it is better that a constitutional issue that is so important that it affects all elections should be fully debated by the House as a separate matter."—[Official Report, 18 July 2015; Vol. 597, c. 509.] And the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs said: "I concede that there are those in the House who will wish to debate whether that franchise itself should be extended to 16 and 17-year-olds, but the Government are not persuaded and that is a debate for another day."—[Official Report, 9 June 2015; Vol. 596, c. 1053.] Well, this is that day. The Bill has an added plus—improved citizenship education, giving pupils the knowledge, skills and confidence to prepare them for the responsibilities of voting and the opportunities to become politically active.
Representation of the People (Young Persons’ Enfranchisement and Education) Bill — House of Commons, 2015-09-11
Topic: Civil Rights
Victoria Jane Foxcroft (Labour, Centre-left): No, I do not have time Some say that young people cannot make informed decisions, that they are not educated enough in politics and that they lack the life experience to be able to vote. To those people I say this: you are wrong and you are scared. Young people are a lot more informed and clued-up than they are given credit for. They are a lot more informed and clued-up than—dare I say it—some hon. Members here. Whenever change takes place, people are often afraid of what that means, but once delivered it can become the norm, as in 1919, when the Representation of the People Act gave women over 30 the right to vote, or in 1928, when the Equal Franchise Act finally gave women the same voting rights as men. That was nearly 100 years ago, when we did not have a single female Member of Parliament. In 1919 Nancy Astor, the first female MP, was elected to Parliament. By 1945 there were still only 24 female MPs. It took a Labour victory in 1997 for a huge increase to take place in female representation. In that election 120 female MPs were elected, 101 of whom were Labour The House may wonder why I am talking about female representation when I am putting forward a Bill for votes for 16 and 17-year-olds. I am highlighting the fact that progress can be slow, but that does not mean that it is not the right thing to do. Just as Parliament has been enhanced by women’s participation, the political system can be improved by young people’s votes The issues that matter to young people need to be at the heart of our politics. Young people tell me they are concerned about further education, university funding, apprenticeships, jobs and the minimum wage for young people. They want the education maintenance allowance back. They are concerned about housing and whether they will be able to afford to buy a property or even to rent one.
Representation of the People (Young Persons’ Enfranchisement and Education) Bill — House of Commons, 2015-09-11
Topic: Civil Rights
Victoria Jane Foxcroft (Labour, Centre-left): Let me give a little more historical analysis, specifically on young people. Back in 1969 it was felt that people under 21 were too young to vote. Many of the arguments used then are arguments that I continue to hear today, so I shall quote the words of James Callaghan when debating lowering the voting age to 18. He said: "It will become increasingly difficult to explain to young people why for all social purposes they are entitled to regard themselves as adult at the age of 18, except on the question of the vote. I believe that this would be an anomaly that would become increasingly difficult to explain.—[Official Report, 26 November 1968; Vol. 774, c. 624.] Why is it that at 16 young people can give full consent to medical treatment, pay income tax and national insurance, obtain tax credits and welfare benefits in their own right, consent to sexual relationships, get married or enter a civil partnership, change their name by deed poll, become a director of a company or even serve in the armed forces, but they cannot vote? Over the past month Labour party members from the age of 15 have been voting in our leadership election. Young Conservatives can also vote in elections, though I hope in their own. Our deadline has now passed In closing, let me quote one of the strongest advocates of votes at 16 and what he wants—the ability to vote in the Mayor of London election and the upcoming EU referendum. The young mayor of Lewisham, Liam Islam, is one of the most passionate, articulate young people I have ever met, and he is not alone. There are so many Liams out there who are desperate to have their voice reflected at the ballot box. Let us be part of that historic change today. I urge all Members to support the Bill and ensure that young people’s voices are reflected in politics. I commend the Bill to the House.
Cross-channel Services — House of Commons, 2015-07-16
Topic: Mixed Topics
Questions: What discussions he has had with the French authorities on preventing disruption to cross-channel services from the port of Dover and channel tunnel in summer 2015.
Robert Charles Douglas Flello (Labour, Centre-left): I draw the House’s attention to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests I am pleased to hear that the Minister is in regular dialogue with his French counterparts, but given that the gangs of people traffickers particularly change their tactics constantly, what measures are being discussed to resolve the problem of traffickers simply moving further away from Calais to attack lorry drivers and get into their vehicles, in order to circumvent the steps that have been taken at Calais?
BBC Charter Review — House of Commons, 2015-07-16
Topic: Immigration
John Martin McDonnell (Labour, Centre-left): In his statement, the Secretary of State did not make a single reference to the BBC’s staff. I find that surprising, given the concerns that he expressed in his previous role. The staff are now extremely anxious about their future because of the resettlement fee, and this will not reassure them. Will the Secretary of State tell us how he will ensure that they are involved more thoroughly in the consultation process?
BBC Charter Review — House of Commons, 2015-07-16
Topic: Public Lands
Diana Ruth Johnson (Labour, Centre-left): Many of my constituents value highly the local radio station, BBC Radio Humberside—no more so than in 2007 when large parts of Hull were flooded. The station provided essential information to people at that time. I am concerned at the Secretary of State’s saying that local people would be able to put forward their views at public meetings, because such meetings are not often held in areas such as Hull; they tend to be held in places such as Leeds. Will there be any other opportunities for local people to feed in their real concerns about the possible changes?
Summer Adjournment — House of Commons, 2015-07-16
Topic: Other
Graham William Allen (Labour, Centre-left): My elation at being called first from the Opposition Benches is matched only by the slight annoyance that I felt yesterday when I spent six hours in here without being called. But I am delighted and really grateful to be called to speak today In the first of my three brief points, may I ask whether it is possible, in this day and age, for the Procedure Committee to consider having a list of speakers for a debate on the back of the Speaker’s Chair, so that colleagues can have some way of managing their day sensibly? Although Members will obviously be in the Chamber well before they speak and well after they speak, they will be able to plan their days more effectively.
Summer Adjournment — House of Commons, 2015-07-16
Topic: Other
Madeleine Moon (Labour, Centre-left): On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. Would it be appropriate to ask to put on the record the thanks of everyone who has taken part in this debate for the very full and thorough reply that we have all received from the Deputy Leader of the House. To be honest, I have never heard such a fantastic response from a Minister at the Dispatch Box, and we all owe her a great thank you.
Aerospace Industry — House of Commons, 2015-12-15
Topic: Mixed Topics
Angela Christine Smith (Labour, Centre-left): Rolls-Royce is of strategic importance to our aerospace industry, not just in Derby but in Sheffield and Bristol. What are the Government prepared to do to safeguard that capacity, which is increasingly in the news at the moment, in order to ensure that we not just invest in but safeguard the future of the industry so that the UK stays at the forefront of aerospace manufacturing globally?
Aerospace Industry — House of Commons, 2015-12-15
Topic: Mixed Topics
Yvonne Helen Fovargue (Labour, Centre-left): As we have heard from my hon. Friends, we have been watching the recent developments in relation to Rolls-Royce very closely, not only because of the implications for national security but because it is the biggest single employer for Britain’s aerospace sector. As the Minister said, the global market for new aircraft is predicted to be worth £3.6 trillion in the next 20 years, so we welcome the investment in the Aerospace Technology Institute. However, is it not about time that Ministers considered developing an industrial strategy instead of continuing the current piecemeal approach?
Small Businesses (Late Payments) — House of Commons, 2015-12-15
Topic: Mixed Topics
Barry John Sheerman (Labour, Centre-left): In the spirit of Christmas, may I invite the whole ministerial team to come to Huddersfield, where they can learn about spinning and weaving? I can also arrange for them to have a wonderful "Made in Huddersfield" worsted suit, just like the one I am wearing. They can also meet small businesses and the Textile Centre of Excellence and talk about all the pressures on small business and the problems they face because the Government want to take us out of Europe, which will stop us exporting to the rest of the world.
Cyber-resilience — House of Commons, 2015-12-15
Topic: Domestic Commerce
Clive Stanley Efford (Labour, Centre-left): I am delighted that the Minister has more than doubled the budget, but only 10% of it goes on consumers, the police force and small businesses. What is the Minister doing to encourage small businesses that are time-poor, meaning that they are not able to engage with this sort of administration? What is he going to do for business in Eltham, to ensure that they are safe online?
Climate Change and Flooding — House of Commons, 2015-12-15
Topic: Public Lands
Kerry Gillian McCarthy (Labour, Centre-left): I agree entirely with my hon. Friend. There is almost a consensus that the UK needs to do more, go faster and introduce stronger targets Business needs certainty, but people in Cumbria and other flood zones need it too. Last week, I visited Carlisle and Cockermouth with my right hon. Friend the Leader of the Opposition. We are grateful to the councillors, business owners and residents who showed us around their communities and homes, and we left impressed by their resilience and determined that the Government must do all they can to rebuild their communities and reduce their future flood risk. They should never have to go through this again.
Climate Change and Flooding — House of Commons, 2015-12-15
Topic: Public Lands
Andrew John Gwynne (Labour, Centre-left): My hon. Friend, who is right about the need for certainty, will understand the concerns of many of the flood-affected communities that the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs cannot provide any certainty over future spending on flooding. Was she as shocked as I was to learn that this year’s flooding budget was £115 million less than last year’s? Is that not short-sighted of the Government?
Climate Change and Flooding — House of Commons, 2015-12-15
Topic: Public Lands
Kerry Gillian McCarthy (Labour, Centre-left): I agree with my hon. Friend, as I often do. I want to say a little more about what I saw in the constituencies, and then I will answer his point Anyone who has been to Carlisle and Cockermouth or seen the television coverage will have been dismayed at the horrific scenes. We have seen people out on the pavements with their entire belongings, people’s homes saturated, people in temporary accommodation. There is an issue with the availability of temporary accommodation in the area. Some have been lucky enough to move into holiday cottages, but there is not much in the way of private rented accommodation to move into. We spoke to people about their massive flood insurance bills, and the thing they raised with us time and again was the excess on their policies. Now that more floods have happened, their premiums are going to go up, or they might not be able to insure their homes at all.
Climate Change and Flooding — House of Commons, 2015-12-15
Topic: Public Lands
Mary Helen Creagh (Labour, Centre-left): Does my hon. Friend share my concern that the Government’s new Flood Re scheme does not cover the insurance costs of businesses, and does she share my regret at the lack of solidarity in that scheme?
Climate Change and Flooding — House of Commons, 2015-12-15
Topic: Public Lands
Kerry Gillian McCarthy (Labour, Centre-left): I agree with my hon. Friend. Small businesses mentioned that to us. The Government’s logic was that businesses could shop around in the market, but those that were hit by flooding in 2005 and 2009 and have been again now will struggle to find insurers. It is enough to put them out of business or at least force them to close for renewal and refurbishment for several months at a time.
Climate Change and Flooding — House of Commons, 2015-12-15
Topic: Public Lands
Kerry Gillian McCarthy (Labour, Centre-left): I am not sure that was worth waiting for. Perhaps the hon. Gentleman needs to talk to the Environment Secretary, who acknowledged in last week’s statement that there was a risk. Obviously, individual episodes do not make a pattern, but a clear pattern is emerging of extreme weather events in the UK and abroad Between 1997 and 2010, flood defence spending increased by three quarters in real terms, but in the 2010 spending review, the coalition Government announced a 20% real-terms cut. Flood spending was slashed by £116 million in 2011-12 and again the next year, and it was lined up for further cuts in 2013-14, before floods in the Somerset levels forced on the Government the realisation that they had gone too far. After those floods, the Prime Minister assured us that "there will always be lessons to learn and I’ll make sure they are learned." But he has not shown many signs of having learned those lessons. Last year, flood and coastal erosion risk management expenditure was above £800 million, but this year it has been cut to less than £700 million—a 14% real-terms cut of £115 million. How quickly those images of the Somerset levels faded from his mind.
Climate Change and Flooding — House of Commons, 2015-12-15
Topic: Mixed Topics
Mary Helen Creagh (Labour, Centre-left): My hon. Friend is making an excellent point. Does she share my regret that, although the Prime Minister said money was no object, as soon as the television images of the Great Western main line under water had faded from public consciousness, money actually was an object?
Climate Change and Flooding — House of Commons, 2015-12-15
Topic: Mixed Topics
Caroline Louise Flint (Labour, Centre-left): On learning the lessons, is my hon. Friend as surprised as I am that about half of the Chancellor’s fast-track zones to build houses are on floodplains? It is estimated that 9,000 new houses built on these floodplains might not be insurable because of the risk of flooding.
Climate Change and Flooding — House of Commons, 2015-12-15
Topic: Housing
Kerry Gillian McCarthy (Labour, Centre-left): That is certainly an issue. Cockermouth has had planning permission approved for new houses, yet we have seen from the recent floods that the defences, which people thought were safe enough to withstand what was described in 2009 as a once in a lifetime or a once in a century event, were not good enough. The Government need to reassure me, therefore, that any defences around new housing in those areas would be sufficient to protect people and deal with the issue of insurance.