Yasmin
Qureshi MP, Labour’s Shadow Justice Minister, responding to the Government’s
announcement of a consultation into the HM Courts and Tribunals Service estate,
said:

“This
consultation should not be a smokescreen for yet more court closures and staff
losses which would further undermine local access to our justice system.

“Tory cuts
have already led to the closure of hundreds of courts and the axing of
thousands of court staff.

“There are
obvious fears that this consultation is just part of the Government’s plan to
cut hundreds of millions of pounds more from the Ministry of Justice budget by
2020.

“The
Government should not proceed with any further court closures until its promised
Courts Bill is published and its reforms can be subjected to full parliamentary
scrutiny.”

Ends

Richard
Burgon MP, Labour’s Shadow Justice Secretary, responding to the report into HMP Liverpool by the Chief
Inspector of Prisons, said:

“After
Carillion’s collapse, this report raises more very serious questions about the
outsourcing of Government contracts.

“Private
contractor Amey has failed to complete thousands of maintenance jobs at HMP
Liverpool and the Government must explain why it is continuing to receive
public money when the work simply isn’t being done.

“The
conditions at HMP Liverpool with rat infestations, leaking toilets, damp and
squalor are the worst ever seen by inspectors. This is a new low in the long
list of damning evidence that shows Tory outsourcing and cuts to the prison
service are fuelling a crisis in our prisons.

“Labour in
government would look at bringing prison maintenance contracts back in house.
The Government must now do the same.”

Ends

Imran Hussain MP, Labour’s Shadow Justice Minister, responding to the urgent notification issued at HMP Nottingham, said:

“This is yet more evidence of the deep crisis across our prison system.

“Tory cuts to staff and budgets have fuelled an epidemic of violence that has seen assaults and self-harm at record levels.

“The Justice Secretary needs to take urgent action to sort out this crisis at HMP Nottingham and ensure that the whole of our prisons system is safe for prisoners and staff alike.”

Peter
Dowd MP, Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, commenting on the
Lords Delegated Power and Regulatory Reform Committee report on the Taxation
(Cross Border Trade) Bill said:

“The
House of Lords report gives a damning verdict on the Government’s Customs Bill,
which hands vast sets of Henry VIII powers to the Treasury instead of to
Parliament.

“The
Bill is yet another attempt by the Government to run roughshod over the
democratically elected House of Commons. Taken with the EU
Withdrawal Bill and the Trade Bill, this is a centralisation of control not
seen since the Second World War.

“The
Prime Minister has no mandate to award her Government these powers.”

Owen Smith MP, Labour’s Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary, commenting on the announcement that new talks aimed at restoring devolution in Northern Ireland will begin next week, said:

“Despite the new name over the door of the Northern Ireland Office, it sounds like more of the same in the talks planned for next week. Twelve months of secretive discussions between Sinn Fein and the DUP has failed and there is widespread scepticism that another round will break the deadlock.

“Karen Bradley must show that she has a clear plan to rebuild trust between the parties and restore power-sharing. This should start with enlisting an independent chair to help address concerns that she cannot be neutral given the Conservative Government is being propped up by the DUP.”