Cat
Smith MP, Labour’s Shadow Minister for Voter Engagement and Youth Affairs, commenting on
the ONS Young NEET figures out today, said:

“While
it is welcome that the latest figures show a decline in the number of young
people not in education, employment or training (NEET), this Tory Government
continues to fail young people.  

“There
are still  826,000 young people who are NEETs. Young people from
disadvantaged backgrounds continue to perform worse than their peers in school.

“Those
who manage to find work are excluded from the national living wage and many are
subjected to exploitative zero-hours contracts.

“Only
Labour will prioritise young people’s needs and address these failings.”

Debbie Abrahams MP, Labour’s Shadow

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, commented on the Governments Defined Benefit Green
Paper, said:

“Moves to allow employers to
erode the value of their workers’ pensions, which could reportedly cost 11
million pensioners thousands of pounds, are absolutely unacceptable.

“Employers shouldn’t be allowed
to break their promises on pensions and we will not stand by while the
Government gives the green light to companies to downgrade them.

“The Tories are letting older
people down, Labour will fight to guarantee a secure retirement.”

Diane Abbott MP,
Labour’s Shadow Home Secretary,
following the publication of the Supreme Court’s judgement on the legality of
the minimum income threshold for UK citizens who seek to bring families here,
said,

“The
Supreme Court accepted the legitimacy of the Government measures, but it also
held that Home Office rules unlawfully fail to take account of
requirements to safeguard children’s welfare. 

“These
rules cause hardship for thousands of families, prevent UK citizens
being united with their families and clearly discriminate against women, BAME
communities, and people on lower incomes.

"These
measures were drawn up as part of Theresa May’s failed policy to reduce net
migration.  Labour opposes rules that are clearly discriminatory. We will
implement a fair and balanced immigration system which does not split families
apart.”

Debbie
Abrahams MP, Labour’s Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, commenting on the findings of the
Citizens Advice Bureau report, said:

“It
is shocking to see that hundreds of thousands of low income workers, most of
whom are women, are being blocked from these workplace pension schemes by the
Tory Government.

"This
month Labour demanded the Government look at how people working multiple jobs
could be allowed to save. They refused.”

“While
the Tories abandon older people, Labour wants to ensure that everyone can have
the secure, dignified retirement that they deserve.”

Angela Rayner MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Education, commenting on an NAO
report on capital funding for schools, said:

“Hundreds of secondary schools in England are already full to
capacity, while thousands more are crumbling and in desperate need of repair.
Yet the Tories continue to waste millions opening free schools in areas that do
not need them.

“The Government needs to concentrate on increasing capacity and
improving schools in the areas that need it the most.”