The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Doocey on 2016-03-08.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether anyone has been prosecuted for human trafficking offences in circumstances where the victim has been found in a cannabis factory.
Lord Bates
The information requested is not held centrally and could only be provided by reviewing individual case files, at disproportionate cost.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Doocey on 2016-03-08.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Faulks on 23 February (HL6039), how many of the six cases in 2014 knowingly requir[ing] another person to perform forced/compulsory labour” involved child victims.”
Lord Faulks
There were no juveniles (individuals aged 10-17) involved as victims of the offence of “knowingly requir[ing] another person to perform forced/compulsory labour”, in England and Wales, in 2014.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Doocey on 2016-03-08.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many child victims of modern slavery referred to the National Referral Mechanism have passed through Calais.
Lord Bates
National Referral Mechanism (NRM) data on the number of child victims of modern slavery who have passed through Calais is not specifically recorded. NRM data includes the location of exploitation and the location of where the potential victim was first encountered. Border Force will refuse entry to the UK for any child presenting at Calais where they have concerns about their welfare. Such children are referred to and placed in the care of the French authorities. These children are not referred into the NRM as they are not present in the UK. Care and support for children who are suspected of having been trafficked or enslaved, under these circumstances, would fall to the French Authorities.
The UK has funded a project run by a French non-governmental organisation, France Terre D’Asile, to identify potential victims of trafficking and exploitation (including children) in the camps in Calais and to direct them to appropriate support services in France. The Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner, Kevin Hyland, has been fully involved in the project by Terre D’Asile.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Doocey on 2016-01-26.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they plan to issue statutory guidance for identifying and supporting victims, as set out in section 49 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015.
Lord Bates
Statutory guidance for identifying and supporting victims will be issued once the National Referral Mechanism pilots have concluded.
The guidance is being developed in consultation with representatives from NGOs, Government and frontline agencies. This is in line with section 49 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Doocey on 2016-03-08.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with Save the Children about identifying whether any of the unaccompanied children found at the Jungle” camp in Calais were potential child victims of trafficking.”
Lord Bates
The Home Secretary and French Interior Minister agreed in the UK-France Joint Declaration in August 2015 to set up a project to identify potential victims of trafficking (including children) in the Calais migrant camp and directs them to existing protection, support and advice within France. The project is being delivered by the French non-governmental organisation, France Terre D’Asile.
The UK has contributed €750,000 (£530,000) to fund the project which formally launched in December 2015.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Doocey on 2016-01-26.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many modern slavery cases have been assessed in the past three months by the multi-disciplinary panels appointed in the National Referral Mechanism pilots in (1) West Yorkshire, and (2) the South West.
Lord Bates
The National Referral Mechanism (NRM) pilot commenced in August 2015 and in the period up to 40 cases have been considered by the multi-disciplinary panels. 33 of these cases were from potential victims identified in West Yorkshire, and 7 from potential victims identified in the South West.
We anticipate the pilot will run for 12 months following which decisions will be made about the future of the NRM to better identify and support all victims of modern slavery. In reaching these decisions we will consult with key partners including the police, local authorities and the NHS.
The names of the independent chairs of the multi-disciplinary panels have been published and can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/review-of-the-national-referral-mechanism-for-victims-of-human-trafficking/pilot-evaluating-the-proposed-reforms-to-the-national-referral-mechanism
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Doocey on 2016-03-08.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many children who have received a positive conclusive grounds decision in the National Referral Mechanism in the past three years have been refused asylum after claiming.
Lord Bates
Since January 2013, three (3) children received an initial decision to refuse asylum having previously received a positive Conclusive Grounds decision. Of these three refusals two (2) were subsequently overturned on appeal.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Doocey on 2016-01-26.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress they have made in implementing the reforms to the National Referral Mechanism; and whether they will publish the names of the independent chairs of the multi-disciplinary panels.
Lord Bates
The National Referral Mechanism (NRM) pilot commenced in August 2015 and in the period up to 40 cases have been considered by the multi-disciplinary panels. 33 of these cases were from potential victims identified in West Yorkshire, and 7 from potential victims identified in the South West.
We anticipate the pilot will run for 12 months following which decisions will be made about the future of the NRM to better identify and support all victims of modern slavery. In reaching these decisions we will consult with key partners including the police, local authorities and the NHS.
The names of the independent chairs of the multi-disciplinary panels have been published and can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/review-of-the-national-referral-mechanism-for-victims-of-human-trafficking/pilot-evaluating-the-proposed-reforms-to-the-national-referral-mechanism
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Doocey on 2016-03-07.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many cases of child labour and child domestic servitude have been recorded by the National Referral Mechanism in the last three years.
Lord Bates
Data on the number of child cases of forced labour or domestic servitude recorded through the National Referral Mechanism is already publically available on the National Crime Agency website and can be found here: www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/publications/national-referral-mechanism-statistics.
The National Referral Mechanism is designed to gather evidence in order to determine whether someone is considered to be a victim of ‘slavery, servitude and forced or compulsory labour’ or ‘human trafficking’ in line with the offences set out in the Modern Slavery Act 2015. Whether an individual is considered to be a victim of either of these offences in the form of domestic servitude or forced labour will be determined on the indicators present and the facts of each case. Additional consideration is given to the particular vulnerabilities of children and their inability to consent.
Information on how many cases of domestic servitude have been prosecuted where the victim was a child or how many cases of domestic servitude have been recorded which involved more than one person from the same family is not recorded centrally.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Doocey on 2016-01-27.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with Eurostar about child trafficking.
Lord Bates
The UK Government takes child trafficking extremely seriously. All Border Force officers at the Eurostar ports in the UK France and Belgium have received training in keeping children safe and all operational processes involving children comply with requirements as set out in the Children and Young Persons Act. Border Force and Eurostar have daily contact on operational matters. When passengers are identified by Border Force officers as potential victims of trafficking, immediate action is taken to safeguard the individual by following Home Office guidance on the treatment of the victims of trafficking. Border Force collects data on these cases in order to notify the Human Trafficking Centre. Contact is also made with Camden Social Services Safeguarding Team as soon as possible in order to establish safe care of the child. Eurostar has its own policy on unaccompanied children travelling on its services which can be found on the internet at: http://www.eurostar.com/uk-en/travel-info/travel-planning/accessibility#unaccompanied_children
Border Force has not provided training to French border officials on UK child trafficking patterns. All cases of suspected trafficking detected by the French border officials at St Pancras are handed to the BTP to action. In France and Belgium any concerns Border Force officers have about vulnerable children attempting to travel to the UK would be referred to the French and Belgian frontier control authorities. The Home Office has not had any discussions with Patina Rail about a proposed new routing between St Pancras and Ashford.