Tag: Graham Evans

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graham Evans on 2014-06-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Answer of 25 April 2014, Official Report, column 717W, on human trafficking, what tailored support is given to victims who have received a Conclusive Grounds decision to safely return home; to which countries such victims returned in January to March 2014; and if she will make a statement.

Karen Bradley

Currently, there is no specific return and reintegration package for those who
have received a positive Conclusive Grounds decision and wish to return home.
The Assisted Voluntary Returns package is available to nationals of non-EEA
countries. Where possible and appropriate to do so, the Government will work
with host countries’ Government agencies to ensure that the victim receives
adequate support.

Information pertaining to the countries to which victims returned via the AVR
programme is not collated centrally and would require a detailed examination of
case files in order to extract such data.

Between January and March 2014, The Salvation Army recorded that 30
individuals, in their care, returned to their country of origin. These were:

Country of Origin Count
China 1
Czech Repubulic 2
Hungary 3
Latvia 3
Lithuania 4
Poland 1
Romania 9
Slovakia 4
Sri Lanka 1
Congo 1
Uganda 1
Grand Total 30

Care and support for victims, once they receive a positive Conclusive Grounds
decision is being considered as part of the review of the National Referral
Mechanism and as part of the re-tender of the Government’s victim support
service.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graham Evans on 2014-06-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to her Answer of 16 June 2014, Official Report, column 441W, on human trafficking: Albania, how many female victims of trafficking have returned from England using the International Organisation for Migration voluntary return package and taken up the facilities made available by the government in Albania; and if she will make a statement.

Karen Bradley

In November 2013, the UK Government and the Albanian Government, working with
the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), established a voluntary
return package for female victims of trafficking who wished to return to
Albania. This comprehensive package includes the provision of secure
accommodation in Albania (with guards and social services on site), child care
assistance where required, and training or support to establish a business or
enter the labour market. This provides the high level of support and assistance
required for victims who wish to return to Albania to rebuild their lives.
Although no victims have yet availed themselves of the package, a number of
potential cases have been identified and the Home Office is actively working
with the Albanian Government, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and IOM to
improve the promotion of the scheme amongst those who may qualify and identify
and address any perceived barriers to return.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graham Evans on 2014-06-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Answer of 25 April 2014, Official Report, column 717W, on human trafficking, what tailored support is given to victims who have received Conclusive Grounds decisions to integrate into the UK; where such victims came from in January to March 2014; which organisations provide her Department with information on the progress of the victim integration process; and what information her Department holds on how victims have integrated into the UK.

Karen Bradley

Currently, there is no specific integration package for those who have received
a positive Conclusive Grounds decision and wish to stay in the UK. The
Salvation Army, which delivers the Government’s support service for adult
victims of human trafficking, provides support to those victims leaving its
service by facilitating access to mainstream benefits, housing and local
services as well as pastoral support such as assistance with completing
application forms.

Care and support for victims, once they receive a positive Conclusive Grounds
decision is being considered as part of the review of the National Referral
Mechanism and as part of the re-tender of the Government’s victim support
service.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graham Evans on 2014-06-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 16 June 2014, Official Report, column 441W, on human trafficking: Albania, how much funding has been made available by (a) the Home Office and (b) the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to establish the International Organisation Migration voluntary return package; and if she will make a statement.

Karen Bradley

In November 2013, the UK Government and the Albanian Government, working with
the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), established a voluntary
return package for female victims of trafficking who wished to return to
Albania. This package includes the provision of secure accommodation in Albania
(with guards and social services on site), child care assistance where
required, and training or support to establish a business or enter the labour
market. This provides the support and assistance required for victims who wish
to return to Albania to rebuild their lives.

The IOM package is funded by the Returns and Reintegration Fund. This is a
cross-governmental programme, to which the Foreign & Commonwealth Office,
Department for International Development, the Home Office and the Ministry of
Justice contribute resources.

The IOM package is funded to the value of £138,000 over an 18 month period,
commencing in November 2013.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graham Evans on 2014-06-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will ensure that the regulations governing the new contract for the specialist support providers allow bids to provide ongoing care and support once victims exit the shelter service, at the end of the 45 days period irrespective of whether they have received a Conclusive Grounds decision.

Karen Bradley

Once they receive a positive Reasonable Grounds decision, potential victims of
trafficking are entitled to a minimum of 45 days’ care and support which can
continue up to the point they receive a positive Conclusive Grounds decision,
whichever is the later. Article 12 of the European Convention on Action
against Trafficking in Human Beings requires the UK to provide a minimum of 30
days’ support for victims of human trafficking. The current UK Government
policy goes further than the European Convention on Action against Trafficking
obligations by providing a minimum of 45 days support once a Reasonable Grounds
decision is made.

Care and support for victims, once they receive a positive Conclusive Grounds
decision, is being considered as part of the ongoing review of the National
Referral Mechanism and as part of the re-tender of the Government’s care
contract for adult victims of human trafficking.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graham Evans on 2014-07-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with the NSPCC about its current and future plans to train staff to run her planned modern slavery helpline; what that training will include; what the estimated cost is of such training; and which body will provide the training.

Karen Bradley

We are working closely with the NSPCC to pilot a Modern Slavery Helpline as part of a wider communications and marketing campaign, to raise awareness of modern slavery. The helpline will be established by the end of July 2014. We are working with a number of non-governmental organisations and law enforcement agencies to ensure that all callers to the helpline can access any additional help, advice and support they need.

Training will be provided to all call handlers working on the helpline, which will be delivered by the NSPCC Child Trafficking Advice Centre and the
Metropolitan Police Service, building on their specific expertise and knowledge in this area. The training will include the nature of modern slavery, the information to be obtained from individuals who call the helpline as well as organisations that can provide further support and guidance. There are no specific costs to the Home Office associated with providing this training.

Each call to the helpline will be considered on a case-by-case basis and, where an individual requires further information or advice, the helpline call handlers will provide the details of other organisations for the caller to contact, as appropriate. This is regardless of whether the caller is from an EU or non-EU country.

Stakeholders, including NGOs, have been engaged in the communications and marketing campaign which underpins the helpline.
The NSPCC is ideally placed to deliver what we need given their existing infrastructure and expertise in safeguarding issues. The NSPCC runs a number of helplines, including Childline, FGM helpline and the Child Trafficking Advice Centre (CTAC) line. We have engaged NSPCC by means of a formal Grant Agreement, not a Contract, which will be managed using standard Home Office grant terms and conditions in accordance with the principles of Managing Public Money.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graham Evans on 2014-07-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, to whom the NSPCC will refer cases of people (a) from EU countries and (b) who are not EU nationals, who call her planned modern slavery helpline and are identified as victims of modern slavery.

Karen Bradley

We are working closely with the NSPCC to pilot a Modern Slavery Helpline as part of a wider communications and marketing campaign, to raise awareness of modern slavery. The helpline will be established by the end of July 2014. We are working with a number of non-governmental organisations and law enforcement agencies to ensure that all callers to the helpline can access any additional help, advice and support they need.

Training will be provided to all call handlers working on the helpline, which will be delivered by the NSPCC Child Trafficking Advice Centre and the
Metropolitan Police Service, building on their specific expertise and knowledge in this area. The training will include the nature of modern slavery, the information to be obtained from individuals who call the helpline as well as organisations that can provide further support and guidance. There are no specific costs to the Home Office associated with providing this training.

Each call to the helpline will be considered on a case-by-case basis and, where an individual requires further information or advice, the helpline call handlers will provide the details of other organisations for the caller to contact, as appropriate. This is regardless of whether the caller is from an EU or non-EU country.

Stakeholders, including NGOs, have been engaged in the communications and marketing campaign which underpins the helpline.
The NSPCC is ideally placed to deliver what we need given their existing infrastructure and expertise in safeguarding issues. The NSPCC runs a number of helplines, including Childline, FGM helpline and the Child Trafficking Advice Centre (CTAC) line. We have engaged NSPCC by means of a formal Grant Agreement, not a Contract, which will be managed using standard Home Office grant terms and conditions in accordance with the principles of Managing Public Money.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graham Evans on 2014-07-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what consultation she undertook with (a) non-governmental organisations, (b) civil society, (c) church organisations, (d) front-line professionals, (e) social workers and (f) local authority and Health Service staff on the creation of a modern slavery helpline prior to her announcement that such a helpline was being set up.

Karen Bradley

We are working closely with the NSPCC to pilot a Modern Slavery Helpline as part of a wider communications and marketing campaign, to raise awareness of modern slavery. The helpline will be established by the end of July 2014. We are working with a number of non-governmental organisations and law enforcement agencies to ensure that all callers to the helpline can access any additional help, advice and support they need.

Training will be provided to all call handlers working on the helpline, which will be delivered by the NSPCC Child Trafficking Advice Centre and the
Metropolitan Police Service, building on their specific expertise and knowledge in this area. The training will include the nature of modern slavery, the information to be obtained from individuals who call the helpline as well as organisations that can provide further support and guidance. There are no specific costs to the Home Office associated with providing this training.

Each call to the helpline will be considered on a case-by-case basis and, where an individual requires further information or advice, the helpline call handlers will provide the details of other organisations for the caller to contact, as appropriate. This is regardless of whether the caller is from an EU or non-EU country.

Stakeholders, including NGOs, have been engaged in the communications and marketing campaign which underpins the helpline.
The NSPCC is ideally placed to deliver what we need given their existing infrastructure and expertise in safeguarding issues. The NSPCC runs a number of helplines, including Childline, FGM helpline and the Child Trafficking Advice Centre (CTAC) line. We have engaged NSPCC by means of a formal Grant Agreement, not a Contract, which will be managed using standard Home Office grant terms and conditions in accordance with the principles of Managing Public Money.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graham Evans on 2014-06-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, from what region of Albania the women referred to the victim support scheme operated by the Salvation Army in (a) February 2014 and (b) April 2014 came from; what evidence from cluster data she has to explain why most of them were pregnant when they were discovered in the UK; what steps she is taking to prevent access to the UK without the necessary visas by such Albanian nationals; and if she will make a statement.

James Brokenshire

The Home Office and Ministry of Justice jointly fund a national support service for adult victims of human trafficking in England and Wales. This contract is delivered
by The Salvation Army. The service is open to potential adult victims of human trafficking (including those from Albania), identified through referral to the National Referral Mechanism (NRM). The Salvation Army and its sub-contractors work with victims of human trafficking from the moment they are placed in support accommodation to help them consider their support needs and their plans to move on from the service.

The Home Office does not hold data on the regions that Albanian women referred to the Salvation Army are from. This information is only held within individual
case records and can only be accessed through manual search. Similarly, we do not hold data on the reasons for pregnancy of women referred to the NRM. The Government recognises that effective reintegration support for victims is vital to help them move on with their lives and to prevent them from being exploited in the future. In addition, the Government is looking at what more that can be done to support victims, including supporting them to return to their home country where appropriate.

The Government is working closely with the Albanian Government to combat trafficking and support victims. In November 2013, the UK Government and the Albanian Government, working with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), established a voluntary return package for female victims of trafficking who wished to return to Albania. This package includes the provision of secure accommodation in Albania (with guards and social services on site), childcare assistance where required, and training or support to establish a business or enter the labour market. This provides the support and assistance required for victims who wish to return to Albania to rebuild their lives. The Albanian Government is also putting in place comprehensive measures to tackle trafficking, such as the establishment of a National Referral Mechanism and a dedicated police unit to tackle trafficking.

Albanians are visa nationals and as such they require a visa to enter the UK for any purpose. We have Risk and Airline Liaison Overseas Network staff posted around the world to assist carriers in identifying passengers that do not have the correct documents to enter the UK. We also have Border Force staff operating UK immigration controls in France and Belgium who will refuse entry to those seeking to enter the UK without the correct documentation.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Graham Evans on 2014-06-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the number of victims of human trafficking through the UK; and if she will make a statement.

Karen Bradley

In 2013 the UK National Referral Mechanism (NRM) received 1,746 referrals of
potential victims of trafficking. However, trafficking is a covert crime and
victims are often hidden, making it difficult to establish the true scale of
the issue.

The National Crime Agency’s UK Human Trafficking Centre publishes an annual
assessment of the number of victims of human trafficking. The most recent
assessment was published in August 2013 and can be found on the NCA website
(www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk).

The Government is determined to lead the global fight against human trafficking
(including modern slavery), and has introduced the Modern Slavery Bill. The
Bill will give law enforcement the tools to stamp out modern slavery, and
enhance protection for victims. To complement the Bill, the Government is also
ramping up non-legislative action to tackle this abhorrent crime.