Campaign reply - Will you support victims of modern slavery and human trafficking?

Thank you for contacting my office. I very much appreciate you getting in touch about modern slavery.

I am committed to supporting both the recovery of modern slavery victims and the prosecution of their exploiters. I agree with the Government’s core principle that victims' entitlements should be based on need; temporary leave to remain should be provided when there is genuine need.

The UK leads the way in the fight against modern slavery. The Modern Slavery Act 2015 has transformed our response on a national and international level, significantly increasing law enforcement activity against the criminals behind this abhorrent crime. Since 2016, £15 million has been invested to strengthen the police response through the Modern Slavery and Organised Immigration Crime Programme. This funding has also driven improvements in the police's understanding of modern slavery, increased prosecutions, and built new capabilities to combat organised immigration crime.

In 2018, the Government commissioned an independent review of the Modern Slavery Act, to ensure its relevance as modern slavery evolves over time. Notably, the review recommended that the Government strength its approach to organisations failing to comply with section 54 of the legislation. Section 54 established the UK has the first country in the world to require businesses to report annually on steps taken to prevent modern slavery in their operations and supply chains. It is good news that the Government committed to strength section 54, to ensure businesses and large public sector bodies report transparently on action they have taken to address modern slavery risks.

I was further encouraged by the Government's subsequent public consultation on proposals to drive greater transparency and compliance within the legislation, and whether the law should cover the public sector, not only businesses.  The Government has since committed to stronger measures, for example by: extending the reporting requirement to public bodies with a budget of £36 million or more; mandating the specific reporting topics that statements must cover; requiring statements to be published on the new Government digital reporting service; setting a single reporting deadline and taking forward options for penalties for non-compliance in line with the ongoing development of the Single Enforcement Body for employment rights. 

The Government has announced that a new Modern Slavery Bill will be introduced this parliamentary session which will put these commitments into law. The Bill aims to strengthen the protection and support for victims of human trafficking and modern slavery and increase the accountability of companies and other organisations to drive out modern slavery from their supply chains.   

Once again, thank you for taking the time to write. If you require any further assistance, then please do not hesitate to get in touch.