Sue Hayman MP, Shadow
Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, responding to evidence
by the Guardian and ITV showing tampering of food safety records and use-by
dates, said:

“The evidence
presented here is extremely concerning and raises a number of serious
questions. The supplier in question is the largest supplier of chicken to UK
supermarkets, meaning the number of consumers impacted will be significant.

“It is welcome that
five major food retailers are going to launch immediate investigations but the
Government must do the same. The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and
Rural Affairs must respond to the findings of the investigation to reassure
consumers that this matter is in hand. Stepping back and shunting the issue on
to the Food Standards Agency, as during the imported egg crisis, will not do.

“It is vital that the
Government ensures that the highest food standards are being upheld in the UK
and that consumers are presented with correct information at the point of
purchase.”

Debbie Abrahams
MP, Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, commenting on the letter from
Conservative MPs calling for a halt to Universal Credit, said;  

“I am glad that
Conservative MPs are waking up to the disastrous effects of Universal Credit,
and backing Labour’s call for a pause to the programme.

“The rising debt
and arrears under Universal Credit are a direct result of the six week wait for
payment introduced by this Government. This policy can be changed.”  

“Labour is again
calling on the Government to halt the roll out of Universal Credit and remove
the punitive elements of the programme which are pushing so many families into
poverty.”

Jonathan Ashworth,
Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary, responding to the Royal College
of Nursing’s new “Against the Odds” report, said:

“Seven years of
Tory mismanagement and underfunding has placed an unacceptable level
of pressure on nursing staff to keep NHS services running. 

"The Government
is constantly asking NHS workers to do more with less, and over 70
per cent of nurses surveyed by the RCN have said their last shift had unsafe
numbers of staff. This is a threat to the quality of care which patients can
expect to receive. 

"At
the election Labour promised to bring in a new law to guarantee safe
staffing levels in hospitals. Ministers must step up and explain what action
they’re going to take to get enough nurses in place to keep services for
patients running safely.”

Matthew Pennycook MP, Shadow Brexit Minister, commenting on
the House of Lords’ Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform Committee
report on the EU Withdrawal Bill, said:

“This report raises fundamental concerns about
the Government’s repeal bill.

"Britain voted to take back control, but the truth is this
bill represents an unprecedented  power-grab by Tory ministers. Parliament
risks becoming a mere spectator while the Government is given sweeping new
powers over people’s everyday lives.

"It’s time for Theresa May to change approach. She
should scrap this bill and introduce new legislation that respects the
referendum and enhances, rather than undermines, British
democracy.”

Andy McDonald MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Transport,
responding to the Government’s road casualty statistics, said:

“The latest road casualty statistics make for chilling
reading with the number of road deaths at a five year high and serious life
changing injuries up by nine per cent.

"Labour made significant progress on road safety, but the
Tories scrapped road safety targets and allowed our roads to become more
dangerous.

"The underfunding of police forces has meant there are a
third fewer dedicated traffic police than a decade ago, making enforcement less
effective. Labour will reintroduce road safety targets and increase
police numbers as part of an ambitious strategy striving for zero
deaths on our roads.”