Labour

“We welcome new advice from ICES on the condition of cod stocks in the Irish Sea and the news that they have returned to above the maximum sustainable yield trigger. 

“With the news that North Sea cod has received Marine Stewardship Council accreditation, fishermen are to be credited for working hard with reduced catching levels over the past fifteen years to help UK fish stocks to recover.

“Going forward, the UK must work collaboratively with the fishing industry and our European neighbours to deliver the best outcomes for our fish stocks, the wider marine environment and the industry, creating the minimum of disruption to our fishermen.“

“Our thoughts are with families and businesses impacted by the devastating flash flooding in Cornwall.

“I would like to pay tribute to our emergency services for their work and for everyone providing support to those affected at the multi-agency centre in Truro.

“Labour is calling on the Government to match its words with actions: to ensure that the Cornwall Fire & Rescue Service are provided with all necessary resources and that businesses and residents receive the support they need in the aftermath.

“In the longer term, the Government must ensure that its strategy on climate change mitigation and flood defence is fit for purpose and that climate change is not brushed aside as an afterthought during the Brexit negotiations, leaving communities to pick up the pieces.”

Tom Watson MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, commenting on the BBC annual report, said:

“The BBC is one of the world’s greatest broadcasters and we shouldn’t be surprised that its top stars – who millions of people tune in to watch and listen to every week – are well paid.

“Labour recognises the BBC’s dilemma: the need to give licence payers value for money while operating in a competitive commercial environment against other broadcasters who do not have to disclose what they pay.

“It’s wrong that only a third of the BBC’s highest paid stars are women, and we welcome Lord Hall’s commitment to close the gender pay gap by 2020. It would be good to see a similar commitment, and similar levels of transparency, from other media organisations – especially those who are criticising the BBC today.”

Richard Burgon, Labour’s Shadow Justice Secretary, commenting on HM Chief Inspector of Prisons’ Annual Report for 2016-17, said:

“This report makes it clear that the crisis in our prisons is getting worse by the day.

“Our prisons are becoming ever more dangerous for prisoners and staff alike. Assaults on staff are up by over a third and it is a stain on the nation that not a single young offenders institute inspected was deemed safe.

“The Conservative Government’s failure to get a grip of this crisis, including dropping prison reform from the Queen’s Speech, is making it more difficult to turn prisoner’s lives around and to reduce risk to the public.

“Drastic Conservative cuts to prison budgets and staff numbers are driving this prisons crisis. Labour would tackle it by recruiting thousands of new prisons officers and increasing staff retention by improving terms and conditions.”

Paul Blomfield MP, Labour’s Shadow Minister for Exiting the EU, commenting on the House of Lords EU Committee report on Brexit: the EU data protection package, said:

“Labour has repeatedly raised concerns about security information and data sharing, which we heavily rely on to investigate and prevent terrorism. 

“It’s clear that the Government has no idea what maintaining close criminal justice and law enforcement ties with our European neighbours will look like, and no plan to make data sharing work.

“The Government’s chaotic approach to the Brexit negotiations and intransigent red line on the European Court of Justice, meaning we could crash out without a deal on anything, risks threatening our safety.”