Tag: Fiona Mactaggart

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Mactaggart on 2016-01-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to support unaccompanied trafficked and asylum seeking children; and if she will make a statement.

James Brokenshire

The Home Office takes its responsibility for the welfare of children very seriously and recognises the additional vulnerability of unaccompanied children. The best interests of the child are a primary consideration in every decision taken in respect of children and we work closely with local authorities, children’s services and other agencies to ensure unaccompanied trafficked and asylum seeking children receive appropriate support and care.

Immigration staff are trained to identify potential victims of trafficking and to refer them to the National Referral Mechanism – a multi-agency victim identification and support process for responsible agencies to co-operate, share information and facilitate access to support. The Home Office also has dedicated asylum decision makers for children’s cases who receive additional training on specific child related issues.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Mactaggart on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans for a training programme on human trafficking for existing independent advocates to be available to all looked-after children under the Children Act 2004 will commence; which organisation she plans to provide such training; and if she will confirm whether her Department plans to fund that training.

Sarah Newton

We are finalising arrangements for training with other Government departments and the Welsh Government, including how this will be structured and who will deliver the training. Further details will be announced later this year.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Mactaggart on 2016-01-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when she last met the Home Secretary to discuss support for unaccompanied asylum seeking children and trafficked children; and if she will make a statement.

Edward Timpson

The Government attaches high priority to ensuring that unaccompanied asylum seeking children and trafficked children who arrive in the UK are safe and well cared for. Responsibility for this rests with local authorities.

On 15 December 2015, the Minister for Immigration and Ico-hosted a round table with key local authority representatives to discuss how this responsibility can be shared more evenly between local authorities, in order to relieve pressure on children’s services in those areas with a disproportionately high number. We believe that sharing out this responsibility will benefit both the children involved and other children already in the care of those authorities. Ensuring that unaccompanied asylum seeking children are safe and well supported will remain of paramount importance for any new arrangements arising out of these discussions.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Mactaggart on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many trafficked children she estimates will receive an advocate in the next phase of trials of the Independent Child Trafficking Advocates Service.

Sarah Newton

Every child that is identified as being potentially trafficked will be allocated an independent child trafficking advocate in each of the early adopter sites.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Mactaggart on 2016-01-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to respond to the recommendations of James Ewins’ review of the overseas domestic workers visa.

James Brokenshire

The Government is considering carefully James Ewins’ recommendations and will announce its response in due course

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Mactaggart on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what criteria were used to select Wales, Hampshire and Greater Manchester as the locations for the early adopter sites for the second phase trials of independent child trafficking advocates.

Sarah Newton

The early adopter sites were chosen because they offer a wide geographical coverage across England and Wales with the potential for differing levels and types of referrals, including children who may have been internally trafficked, as well as those that have been trafficked from abroad.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Mactaggart on 2016-02-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she expects to publish the results of her Department’s assessment of exit checks data; and if she will make a statement.

Karen Bradley

I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answer I gave the Hon Member for Morley and Outwood (Andrea Jenkyns) on 17 December 2015 to Question UIN: 19792.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Mactaggart on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the oral contribution of the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department of 28 June 2016, Official Report, columns 50-1WH, announcing a new child trafficking protection fund, (a) when that fund will be established, (b) how such funds will be distributed, (c) what types of organisations will be eligible to apply for the fund and (d) whether the fund will be targeted at initiatives taking place in the UK or overseas.

Sarah Newton

The Child Trafficking Protection Fund will be established later this year and further detail on the bidding process will be provided when the fund opens. The fund will have up to £3 million of Government funding initially available over the next three years. The fund has two main aims: to reduce the number of trafficked children from going missing and having contact with traffickers, and providing better support for children from states where we have seen consistently high numbers of trafficked children. The fund will support work at a local level, adding value to the existing provisions for child victims of trafficking. The fund will be open to organisations involved with child victims of trafficking and will be aimed at innovative projects that offer enhanced outcomes of care for victims, both nationally and internationally.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Mactaggart on 2016-03-01.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what training front line officers will receive to ensure they record all forms of religiously motivated hate crime.

Karen Bradley

The police have made great strides in responding to hate crime in recent years. New hate crime guidance, which includes information on dealing with and recording all forms of hate crime was issued to all police forces in England, Wales and Northern Ireland by the College of Policing in May 2014.

The Government is working closely with the police on the development of the new requirement to record data on religiously motivated hate crime by faith. The National Policing Lead for hate crime will provide guidance and support to forces to ensure there is consistent data collection for religious hate crimes from 1 April this year.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Mactaggart on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what mechanisms there are to monitor and evaluate the outcomes of children who received an independent child trafficking advocate under the 2014-15 trials of such advocates; and how her Department plans to evaluate the planned second phase trials in three early adopter sites of such advocates.

Sarah Newton

The evaluation of the 2014/15 trial of Independent Child Trafficking Advocates was completed in September 2015 and the evaluation findings were published in December 2015. Following the trial, children with an advocate were provided support to transition into existing trafficking or other support services.

Independent Child Trafficking Advocates will be introduced in three early adopter sites. The Home Office will conduct an assessment through monitoring outcomes for children who receive an advocate and considering how the advocates were implemented in the three sites. This will be overseen and informed by an expert panel of independent individuals. The learning from the early adopter sites will be used to refine the model for Independent Child Trafficking Advocates to be rolled out across England and Wales.