Press release: Event to mark Perry Barr & Witton flood scheme milestone
First phase of the Perry Barr & Witton flood scheme is now complete. read more
Politics
Correspondence: Industrial Strategy: important questions to address
Advice to the Prime Minister on important questions the industrial strategy should address and how the government might do so. read more
We need concrete measures now to improve mental health and restore safety in our prisons – Yasmin Qureshi
Labour’s Shadow Justice Minister, Yasmin Qureshi MP, responding to The Royal College of Psychiatrists’ warning that psychiatric care in prisons is at breaking point, said:
“Prison suicides in 2016 were at the highest level ever recorded. Incidents of self-harm are also on the increase. This is hardly surprising given that the psychiatrists who work in prisons feel unable to do their job. Poor mental health, combined with a lack of prison staff, is endangering inmates, officers, and healthcare professionals. Friday’s fire at Guys Marsh attests to the acute nature of the crisis.
“The Justice Secretary must recognise that there is nothing in the Prisons and Courts Bill to deal with this worsening situation. We need concrete measures now to improve mental health and restore safety in our prisons.”
read moreThe government must produce an International Trade White Paper and give urgent clarity what their plans are for our future international trade – Barry Gardiner
Barry Gardiner MP, Shadow Secretary of State for International Trade, commenting on this week’s inaugural Commonwealth Trade Ministers meeting said:
“The Commonwealth Trade Ministers meeting further demonstrates that the government is actively holding discussions with potential trading partners on our future trading relations. Although the government has told us their plan for Brexit, they have not presented to Parliament and the British people what their plan is for international trade. We’ve been promised an ‘independent trade policy’ from the Secretary of State for International Trade, however, this has not been disclosed.
“The government must produce an International Trade White Paper and give urgent clarity what their plans are for our future international trade, outlining negotiating principles and trade policy objectives.
“To this end, I have written to the Secretary of State for International Trade calling for him to urgently publish an International Trade White Paper and to address key unanswered questions about the government’s international trade policy.”
read moreBanning bots is a welcome announcement that is long overdue, but a single fix won’t solve the problems of the broken ticket market – Tom Watson
Tom Watson MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for culture, media and sport, commenting on the announcement on banning bots in ticketing, said:
“Banning bots is a welcome announcement that is long overdue, but a single fix won’t solve the problems of the broken ticket market.
“The package of measures needs to focus on tougher enforcement of existing regulation to stop big ticket companies flouting the rules without suffering any consequences.
“This is a significant development in the long running battle to ensure fairness for fans but we’ll keep campaigning for the comprehensive set of measures needed to finally end the big ticket rip off.”
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