Daniel
Zeichner MP, Labour’s Shadow Transport Minister, commenting on
the publication of the Transport Focus Bus Passenger Survey figures for Autumn
2016, said:

“These
results show once again that compared to national operators, municipal bus
companies provide some of the best bus services in the country. The
Government’s plans to ban local authorities from forming their own bus
companies in the future clearly flies in the face of all the evidence.

“This
year’s survey also suggests that congestion is becoming an increasing problem
for bus users. With traffic projected to grow, this problem is only going to
become worse. We really need to see local authorities and bus companies using
the tools available in the Bus Services Bill to address congestion, and clean
up our air.”

Teresa
Pearce, Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, commenting on the news that Surrey
County Council Leader David Hodge is standing down as the Local Government
Association’s Conservative group leader, said: 

“It
appears that the row around the Tory sweetheart deal for Surrey Council has
claimed a victim with the resignation of David Hodge as the man responsible for
standing up for all Tory councils. Perhaps that’s unsurprising given the
accusations he colluded with the Government over a favourable deal not
available to other councils.

“This
doesn’t put the matter to bed however. Theresa May has failed to come clean
about the terms of the deal offered to Surrey, failed to apologise for her
Government’s misleading suggestion that there had been no such deal and would
not give the assurance that other local councils will get the same treatment.

“David
Hodge’s resignation makes the need for full disclosure from the Government more
pressing.  What we need from the Tories is a long term sustainable plan
for funding social care, rather than cosy deals for Tories councils.”

Jonathan
Ashworth MP, Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary, commenting on
news that three more trusts have been put into financial special measures by
NHS Improvement, said:

“The
Government’s inept mismanagement of the NHS is pushing hospital finances to the
brink. NHS Providers have already warned this week that delivering services
within the current financial settlement is “mission impossible”. The news today
that another three hospital trusts have been forced into financial special
measures just illustrates the deepening financial challenge facing the health
service.

“Theresa
May can’t keep on forcing hospitals to choose between balancing the books and
providing safe patient care. By underfunding the NHS for so long, the Prime
Minister is putting patients at risk. The Government needs to set out a long-term,
sustainable financial settlement for the NHS which allows hospitals to provide
the top quality health services which Britain’s patients expect.”

Justin Madders MP, Labour’s Shadow Health Minister,
commenting on new figures which show that hospitals have flouted caps on locum
pay, said:

“The astonishing amounts paid by the NHS for locum doctors is yet
another example of the woeful workforce planning by the Conservative
Government. There isn’t just a shortage of permanent medical staff, there’s now
a shortage of available locums to plug the gaps.

“Patients want to know that taxpayers’ money is being spent on
patient care, not padding out the profits of employment agencies. Jeremy Hunt
needs to explain what he’s going to do to deliver a long term, sustainable
workforce plan for the NHS.”

Pat Glass MP,
Labour’s Shadow Transport Minister,  responding to the National Audit
Office (NAO) report into the Government’s Road Investment Strategy, said:

“This report
shows that the Government has made a huge error of judgment. The Road
Investment Strategy was rushed out by George Osborne and David Cameron as a
gimmick for the 2015 election. It was insufficiently planned, poorly thought
out and unrealistically costed.

“This
has raised expectations with motorists and businesses that Labour warned at the
time could not be met and it is clear that the Department for Transport has
questions to answer.

“The Government
needs to seriously reconsider their plans, so that these crucial infrastructure
projects are delivered on time and in budget.”