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.”

Responding
to the Victims’ Commissioner’s review into the treatment of child victims of
sexual and violent offences, Labour’s shadow home office minister, Carolyn
Harris, said:

“It is crucial that the criminal justice system works in the interests of all victims. 

“But it is clear from this review that young victims of some of the most
serious offences feel they are still being let down.

“Rather than trying to downplay the findings, the Government should accept
there is a problem and get on with producing the Victims’ Law they promised to
address it.”

Richard Burgon,
Labour’s Shadow Justice Secretary, commenting on the escape of a prisoner from outside Aintree
University Hospital, said:

“Liz
Truss is fast becoming the Secretary of State for prison escapes. Under her
watch the prison system lurches from crisis to crisis and she seems to have no
cure.

“Liz
Truss’ flagship Prisons and Courts Bill is due to this week and the pressure on
her to deliver is mounting.”

Jon
Trickett MP, Labour’s Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office, responding to a
Regulatory Policy Committee report criticising the quality of departments’
impact assessments of policy decisions, said:

“Years
of Tory cuts are clearly taking their toll on civil servants who face increased
workloads, tight resources and worsening conditions.

“It
is utterly unacceptable that departments are diverting resources away from
providing rigorous impact assessment of their decisions
– what some might call ‘idiot-proofing’
the civil service from Tory policy.

“Ministers
could be leading us up the garden path and the departments themselves would be
none the wiser.

“It
is crucial that the Government urgently improve departmental monitoring and
evaluation measures.”

Peter
Dowd MP, Labour’s Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, commenting on
today’s ONS public sector finance figures, said:

“Today’s
figures show the Government’s debt still rising, seven years after the Tories
started their austerity agenda, and two years after they said they would
balance the books.

“It’s
clear that their slash and burn approach to public spending has not only given
us a crisis in NHS and social care but also failed as an approach to reducing
Government debt.

“Labour’s
Fiscal Credibility Rule gives us a firm commitment to addressing the public
finances while investing in our economy for the future as part of our programme
to rebuild and transform Britain.”