Diane
Abbott MP, Labour’s Shadow Home Affairs Secretary, commenting on reports in the
Independent that Theresa May blocked attempts to highlight the impact migration
can have on the economy and public services during the EU referendum, said:

“This
raises serious questions about the Prime Minister’s priorities.

“Exiting
the EU will mean reforming our entire immigration system. But doing so should
not be at the cost of jobs and the economy.

“Unfortunately,
Theresa May seems determined to turn a blind eye to inconvenient facts.

“This
report should be published in full.”

Peter
Dowd MP, Labour’s Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, commenting on the Public Accounts Committee report into Concentrix, said:

“The
findings by the Public Accounts Committee reaffirms the Government’s continued
inability to take responsibility for the shambolic decision to contract out tax
credits to Concentrix. It is now crystal clear that Concentrix should never
have been awarded the contact.

“This
damning report reveals what many of us have long suspected, first that neither
HMRC nor Concentrix bothered to check for error or fraud before suspending tax
credits to some of the most vulnerable in our society.

“
Secondly, that Concentrix’s claims of mass savings were inflated from the start;
they have barely recouped one fifth of their initial savings figure. Third, that
HMRC is woefully ill-equipped to outsource such important decisions to the
private sector, instead of penalising Concentrix for mistakes HMRC tripled its
commission. 

“This
whole saga makes a mockery of the current tendering process. Given these
damning findings, Concentrix should be banned from any future Government
contracts and the Government should seek to recoup the majority of its
commission.”

Peter
Dowd MP, Labour’s Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, commenting on the Public Accounts Committee report into Concentrix, said:

“The
findings by the Public Accounts Committee reaffirms the Government’s continued
inability to take responsibility for the shambolic decision to contract out tax
credits to Concentrix. It is now crystal clear that Concentrix should never
have been awarded the contact.

“This
damning report reveals what many of us have long suspected, first that neither
HMRC nor Concentrix bothered to check for error or fraud before suspending tax
credits to some of the most vulnerable in our society.

“
Secondly, that Concentrix’s claims of mass savings were inflated from the start;
they have barely recouped one fifth of their initial savings figure. Third, that
HMRC is woefully ill-equipped to outsource such important decisions to the
private sector, instead of penalising Concentrix for mistakes HMRC tripled its
commission. 

“This
whole saga makes a mockery of the current tendering process. Given these
damning findings, Concentrix should be banned from any future Government
contracts and the Government should seek to recoup the majority of its
commission.”

Paul Blomfield MP,
Labour’s Shadow Minister for Exiting the European Union, commenting on the 6 percent fall
in applications from non-UK European Union students, said:

“These latest UCAS
figures show yet another drop in applications from non-UK EU students to our
universities.

“The Government’s failure
to provide certainty to non-UK European citizens living, working and studying
here is harming our world-class universities.

“The Government urgently
needs to provide answers on how it will keep the UK as an attractive university
destination for EU students, as we leave the EU.

“Thousands of jobs depend
on it, as well as the diversity of our campuses and cities.

“One of Labour’s six
tests for the final Brexit deal is a strong and collaborative future
relationship with the EU. Strengthening our education exports is a vital part
of this.”

Paul Blomfield MP,
Labour’s Shadow Minister for Exiting the European Union, commenting on the 6 percent fall
in applications from non-UK European Union students, said:

“These latest UCAS
figures show yet another drop in applications from non-UK EU students to our
universities.

“The Government’s failure
to provide certainty to non-UK European citizens living, working and studying
here is harming our world-class universities.

“The Government urgently
needs to provide answers on how it will keep the UK as an attractive university
destination for EU students, as we leave the EU.

“Thousands of jobs depend
on it, as well as the diversity of our campuses and cities.

“One of Labour’s six
tests for the final Brexit deal is a strong and collaborative future
relationship with the EU. Strengthening our education exports is a vital part
of this.”