Sharon Hodgson MP, Shadow Minister for
Public Health, reacting
to Cancer Research UK’s report into women’s cancer rates rising faster than
men’s, said:

“Cancer
Research UK’s warning of cancer rates amongst women rising faster than those
amongst men in the next 20 years due to a lack of prevention measures should be
a warning shot to Ministers that their policies are failing the health of our
nation.

“Despite
the radical upgrade we were promised in the Five Year Forward View two years
ago, the Government’s mishandling of the NHS has seen this upgrade fall by the
wayside and has been exacerbated by the deep cuts to public health funding we
have seen.

“The
Government has a lot of work to do when it comes to their Cancer Strategy, but
they cannot let it be undermined by weakening preventative measures which can
address these issues at source. Ministers need a serious rethink when it comes
to their approach to public health.”

Ends

Angela Rayner MP, Shadow Education Secretary, commenting on the first report of the Northern Powerhouse, said:

“This report from George Osborne’s think tank is
all very well, but let’s not forget that he was a Chancellor in a Tory
Government that presided over falling school budgets, a chronic teacher
shortage and not enough good school places.

“The Tories’ huge cuts to schools funding will hit
schools in the North hard, making the problems highlighted in this report even
worse. The Northern Powerhouse means nothing unless the Government is
prepared to invest in education, skills and infrastructure.

“Theresa May must take action or the divisions
between North and South will become even deeper, with working people paying the
price for inequality. The Government must stop undermining our schools’ ability
to deliver an excellent education for all by failing to invest in our
children’s future.”

Jonathan
Reynolds MP, Labour’s Shadow City Minister, responding to reports that city
financiers have been jailed over £245m loans scam, said:

“It’s
welcome news that this gang have been prosecuted and sentenced. All those
tempted to game the system and commit fraud against the public should know from
the sentences passed that they’ll pay the price.

"Lack
of faith in the financial sector is bad for the public and bad for the sector
itself. The Government needs to do more to reassure people that the bad
practices have ended. For a start, Philip Hammond should reinstate the
commission on culture in banking cancelled by his predecessor.”

Andy
McDonald MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Transport, welcoming the
resolution of the train drivers’ dispute with Southern Rail, said:

“This
is great news. At long last an agreement has been reached. While the full
details are yet to emerge, it is essential that any safety concerns have been
comprehensively addressed and resolved.  

“Sadly,
trust between Southern management and the workforce has reached an all-time
low, but hopefully this agreement marks the beginning of a more inclusive way
of conducting industrial relations in the future.

“Southern’s
long suffering passengers will be delighted at this news, but equally they need
to see the appalling standards of service, which they have endured for far too
long, greatly improve, and do so quickly.”

Statistics released today by the
Department for Transport show there has been an increase in the number of road
users either killed or seriously injured. The number of killed or seriously
injured casualties (KSIs) increased by 6 per cent last year – to 25,160. By
DfT’s own admission, this change is statistically significant.

Between July and September
2016, the change was even more pronounced – KSI casualties increased by 8 per
cent when compared to the same period in 2015.

All road user groups saw an increase
in the number of people killed or seriously injured: car occupants,
pedestrians, motorcyclists and pedal cyclists. There were also 2,070 children
killed or seriously injured in the year ending September 2016 – an increase of
8 per cent.

Daniel
Zeichner MP, Labour’s Shadow Transport Minister, responding to
statistics released today by the Department of Transport, said:

“These statistics are worrying. We
want everyone to feel safe on the roads, whether they are walking, in a car, on
a bike, on a bus, or using a motorcycle. It’s hugely concerning to see the
increase in the number of children killed or injured in road collisions.

“Funding cuts to the police by
this Tory Government have seen resources being diverted from road policing
which inhibits the effective enforcement of penalties for dangerous drivers. If we are to make our roads safer, it’s crucial that road
safety targets are reinstated and that police forces have the resources they
need.”