Richard
Burgon MP, Labour’s Shadow Justice Secretary, commenting on the Tory Government’s plans to build
four new prisons, said

“We need
modern prisons fit for the modern age. But simply replacing one prison with
another prison doesn’t deal with the overcrowding crisis. No amount of press
releases can distract from that.”

Barbara
Keeley MP, Labour’s Shadow Cabinet Minister for Mental Health, commenting on
the EPI report in to Child Mental Health Improvements, said:

“The
Prime Minister said in January that she wanted to ‘transform the way we deal
with mental health problems right across society’ but the findings in this
report show these were just warm words.

“With
nearly three quarters of Clinical Commissioning Groups failing to meet NHS
England’s improvement standards in children’s mental health, and more than two
thirds of these groups without fully-funded crisis care plans, it is clear that
the Prime Minister’s rhetoric on child mental health is not being matched by
reality.

“The
most worrying part of this report is the increase in the number of young people
being treated on adult mental health wards which shows an abject failure of the
Government to grasp the problems in the mental health system.

“The
Government need to make sure that frontline mental health services get the
money they need rather than using it to balance NHS budgets elsewhere.”

Richard Burden MP, Labour’s Shadow Aviation Minister, responding
to the announcement of a cabin baggage ban on laptops on certain direct
passenger flights to the UK from Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia and
Saudi Arabia, said: 

“The safety
and security of passengers must always be the overriding priority for
Government and for airline operators. If the Government has evidence the level
of security checks on passengers carrying electronic devices is of exceptional
concern in the countries listed then it is right that prompt precautionary
action should be taken.

“This
announcement leaves a number of important questions unanswered and we are seeking
urgent clarification from Ministers. It’s important the Government set out
clearly the precautionary steps they have taken in response to advice from
security services to reassure passengers and the public. The Government must
also work with airline operators to ensure all passengers are given the
necessary information and flights can continue where appropriate with minimal
disruption as possible.”

Rebecca
Long-Bailey MP, Shadow Secretary for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, following the
Competition and Markets Authority’s recent drive to crack down on Cartels,
commented:

“The
Government have for too long not given enough attention to the rights of
consumers whose interests have been inadequately safeguarded. This is why we
very much welcome the new drive by the Competition and Markets Authority,
‘Cracking Down on Cartels’, which seeks to raise public awareness of the
problem and offers £100,000 to whistle-blowers. 

“Cartels are illegal and deeply damaging to both consumers and other
businesses by stifling competition and raising prices. By making people more
aware of what cartels look like, the consequences of joining one and how to
report it, ‘Cracking Down on Cartels’ makes a valuable contribution to the
fight against cartels. 

“However, the
government should not be complacent and needs to do more to safeguard the
interests of consumers against unscrupulous practices.”

Ends

Peter Dowd MP, Labour’s Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, responding to this morning’s ONS
statistics showing a 2.3 percent increase in inflation and the national debt at
£1.7 trillion, said:

“Today’s sharp increase in the cost of living means that after
seven years of Tory economic failure, it is working households and small
businesses who are taking the hit with wage growth once again below price
rises. 

“As inflation breaks through the Bank of England’s
target for the first time in more than three years, real earnings are lower
than they were before the crash. At the same time this is a government that is
handing out £70 billion in tax giveaways to the big corporations and the
super-rich, but doing nothing for ordinary working people.

"The national debt is set to hit almost £2 trillion by the end of ten
years of the Tories in government, and our NHS and social care system are in
the worst crisis in their history. Only a Labour government will invest in our
public services, create a fair tax system, and introduce a £10 an hour Real
Living Wage.”