A regular digest of information and research related to human trafficking into and within the UK. Produced by the Research and Development Unit, on behalf of The Salvation Army’s Director of Anti-Trafficking and Modern Slavery.
Contents 1. Research, reports and journal articles 1.1 ‘Neither Safe nor Sound: Unaccompanied children on the coastline of the English Channel and the North Sea’ (June 2016) 1.2 Oram, S. et al (2016) ‘Human Trafficking and Health: A Survey of Male and Female Survivors in England’. American Journal of Public Health (June 2016) 1.3 ‘Offenders on the Move: Global study on sexual exploitation of children in travel and tourism 2016’. ECPAT International (May 2016) 1.4 ‘Preventing the Sexual Exploitation of Children: Frameworks for intervention’. ECPAT International Journal (April 2016) 2. Political and legislative 2.1 Homes and Communities Agency’s Modern Slavery Act 2015 Policy and Statement 2.2 Written evidence submitted by the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner 2.3 Letter to Stephen Crabb, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, from the Rt Hon Frank Field MP and Kevin Hyland, Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner (June 2016) 2.4 Letter to Sailesh Vara MP, Parliamentary Undersecretary of State at the Department for Work and Pensions and at the Ministry of Justice, from Kevin Hyland, Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner (May 2016) 2.5 Letter to Karen Bradley, Minister for Preventing Abuse, Exploitation and Crime, from Kevin Hyland, Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner (April 2016) 2.6 Parliamentary Questions 3. Campaigns 3.1 Askthequestion 3.2 Stronger Together Toolkit 3.3 The Stop App 4. In the news 4.1 Worst offender lists biased towards rich countries won’t help us fight slavery 4.2 ‘Domestic slavery’ cases on rise in England and Wales 4.3 True scale of modern day slavery exposed as police smash city centre cannabis farm 4.4 Vulnerable man was kept as a slave, judge rules 4.5 Romanian pair jailed for controlling prostitution and people trafficking 4.6 Hampshire ports urged to look out for ship slaves 4.7 Man convicted of keeping Scot a slave for 10 years 4.8 St Albans slavery trial: Johnny Moloney jailed for four years 4.9 South Yorkshire modern slavery team urges people to look out for victims 4.10 St Albans slavery trial: Shannon Loveridge cleared of all charges
4.11 Court finds UK gangmaster liable for modern slavery victims 4.12 Chicken catchers win Maidstone gangmaster case 4.13 Police investigating if wrong man caught in antismuggling operation 4.14 Anglesey £1bn site to house modern slaves, not refugees 4.15 Boston man arrested on suspicion of modern slavery offences 4.16 Alleged people smuggling kingpin is extradited to Italy 4.17 Council to discover extent of modern slavery in bid to tackle the issue 4.18 Modern slavery operation sees businesses raided in Northwich, Winsford and Crewe 4.19 Three Vietnamese rescued over potential slavery, police say 4.20 Modern slavery: Four arrested in Devon after police investigation 4.21 Surge in arrests of alleged UK-bound people-smugglers 4.22 Gangmasters Licence Authority given extended slavery remit 4.23 Modern slavery figures up by a third to 45.8 million 4.24 A slave in Scotland: ‘I fell into a trap – and I couldn’t get out’ 4.25 Deptford man charged with slavery offences 4.26 Craigavon: Man, 55, charged with human trafficking 4.27 There’s only one group who benefits from the refugee crisis: human traffickers 4.28 Cardiff ‘modern slavery’ victim ‘emotionally broken’ 4.29 ‘Modern slavery’ family jailed for Cardiff forced labour 4.30 Migrant crisis: Child trafficking on rise in EU 4.31 Human traffickers ‘using migration crisis’ to force more people into slavery 4.32 Three men arrested in Blackburn sex trafficking inquiry 4.33 Number of trafficked children rose 46% last year, crime agency says 4.34 Police looking into allegations of human trafficking in Blackburn ‘discover a cannabis farm’ 4.35 More than a dozen modern day ‘car wash slaves’ rescued by police in Cambridge area 4.36 Gillingham man charged with human trafficking and slavery 4.37 Two arrested over ‘slavery’ offences in Barnstaple 4.38 Ten more migrants sue Maidstone gangmaster 4.39 Human trafficking report: Victims reveal devastating impact of abuse with 80 per cent suffering mental health problems 4.40 Smugglers charging migrants £13,500 to get to the UK, says crime agency 4.41 Glasgow police raids in human trafficking inquiry 4.42 Barrow-in-Furness arrests on suspicion of slavery 4.43 Britain’s Modern Slave Trade (Documentary)
This bulletin covers material produced during the period 1 April to 30 June 2016 although it should be noted that, due to space limitations, not all relevant material may have been included. The bulletin includes links to material and sources and is provided by way of information. The information included is not necessarily endorsed or supported by The Salvation Army.
1. Research, reports and journal articles 1.1 Neither Safe nor Sound: Unaccompanied children on the coastline of the English Channel and the North Sea (June 2016) Study commissioned by UNICEF into the situation in refugee camps in Northern France for unaccompanied children. It includes a chapter on trafficking and exploitation. http://www.unicef.org.uk/Images/Publications/Unicef_ NeitherSafeNorSound.pdf 1.2 Oram, S. et al (2016) ‘Human Trafficking and Health: A Survey of Male and Female Survivors in England’. American Journal of Public Health (June 2016, Vol 106, no 6, pp1073-1078). Empirical research investigating the physical and mental health and experiences of violence amongst survivors of trafficking, with recommendations for treatment and support. http://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/abs/10.2105/ AJPH.2016.303095 1.3 Offenders on the Move: Global study on sexual exploitation of children in travel and tourism 2016. ECPAT International (May 2016) Report from ECPAT International detailing a global study into sexual exploitation of children in travel and tourism. It was produced through studies in every region, presenting emerging trends and possible solutions to the issue. http://www.ecpat.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/ Offenders-on-the-Move-Final.pdf 1.4 Preventing the Sexual Exploitation of Children: Frameworks for intervention. ECPAT International Journal (April 2016) A publication from ECPAT International offering three articles looking at understanding and developing a framework for prevention and intervention of child sexual exploitation, developed from initiatives carried out in 2015. http://www.ecpat.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/ JournalApril2016.pdf 2. Political and legislative 2.1 Homes and Communities Agency’s Modern Slavery Act 2015 Policy and Statement: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/ uploads/attachment_data/file/514776/Modern_ Slavery_Act_2015_Policy_and_Statement_FY2015-16__ published_.pdf 2.2 Written evidence submitted by the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner: http://data.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/ committeeevidence.svc/evidencedocument/homeaffairs-committee/prostitution/written/34609.html 2.3 Letter to Stephen Crabb, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, from the Rt Hon Frank Field MP and Kevin Hyland, Independent Anti-Slavery Commisioner (June 2016): http://www.parliament.uk/documents/commonscommittees/work-and-pensions/Stephen%20Crabb.pdf
2.4 Letter to Sailesh Vara MP, Parliamentary Undersecretary of State at the Department for Work and Pensions and at the Ministry of Justice, from Kevin Hyland, Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner (May 2016): https://drive.google.com/a/antislaverycommissioner. co.uk/file/d/0B11ZTLZMDhjURlZMQzk2cm8xLW8/ view?pref=2&pli=1 2.5 Letter to Karen Bradley, Minister for Preventing Abuse, Exploitation and Crime, from Kevin Hyland, Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner (April 2016): https://drive.google.com/a/antislaverycommissioner. co.uk/file/d/0B11ZTLZMDhjUeGdrWGp1Sll0V1k/ view?pref=2&pli=1 2.6 Parliamentary questions The following section, drawn from the Hansard Commons and Lords debates, covers responses to parliamentary questions asked by MPs and peers, in reverse chronological order. Oral answers 28 June Debate in Westminster Hall regarding independent advocates for trafficked children. The full debate can be found here: https://hansard.parliament.uk/ commons/2016-06-28/debates/16062854000001/ IndependentAdvocatesForTraffickedChildren 13 June On Unaccompanied children (family reunification): Mr David Burrowes (Con, Enfield and Southgate): What progress have we made in despatching the 75 experts to Greece, into the hotspots around Europe and also into Calais to ensure that there is robustness and confidence in the process of vulnerable children going into the system and then having their family reunion application processed, rather than going into the hands of the smugglers and traffickers? Richard Harrington: On the officials due to go out to the hotspots, that is well under way. Many have already gone and a lot more will be going in the next few weeks. My hon. Friend has taken a keen interest in this and I am very pleased that, along with my right hon. Friend the Immigration Minister, we have worked together on many things. We take this very seriously. We are putting a lot of resource into it, and I hope in future to be able to report to the House the positive results that I know my hon. Friend wants. On the Policing and Crime Bill: Ann Coffey: I wish to say a few words about new clauses 13 and 14, which stand in my name. New clause 13 would make it an offence for adults to groom children and young people for criminal behaviour, and new clause 14 would introduce a new grooming for criminal behaviour prevention order, which I would call a ‘Fagin order’. The new Fagin orders would ban criminal adults
from contacting a child. Just as with children groomed for child sexual exploitation, we must recognise that young people drawn into criminality and drug dealing have, in the first instance, often been groomed and manipulated. Currently, we have numerous prevention orders available to the police to combat grooming for child sexual exploitation, including sexual risk orders, sexual harm prevention orders and child abduction warning notices. I would like to see the creation of a similar order to be used where children are being groomed by organised crime to act as drug runners. That would be a practical way of disrupting activities including the phenomenon of ‘county lines’, whereby criminals groom and coerce children and young people into selling class A drugs many miles from home, often in quiet towns. Organised crime is aggressively creating new markets for drugs, in every seaside town and every small country village across the country. Criminals used to do their own drug running, but now they are actively identifying groups of vulnerable children to use, including those living in children’s homes and pupil referral units, to minimise the risk to themselves. As I said in a previous debate, county lines is the next big grooming scandal on the horizon. It takes many forms, but its basis is using vulnerable children and adults to develop new markets for drugs. One example I saw involved a 15-year-old girl who was offered £500 to go ‘up country’ to sell drugs. She had the class A drugs plugged inside her but was then set up by the original gang and assaulted on the train, and had the drugs forcibly removed from her. She was told she must pay back £3,000 to the group for the stolen drugs, and had to continue to sell drugs and provide sexual favours. The threat of child sexual exploitation for girls in gangs is known, but the added factor of being trafficked to remote locations compounds their vulnerability. Those young people are at risk of physical violence, sexual exploitation, and emotional and physical abuse. That model of grooming arguably involves both trafficking and modern slavery. Children from Greater Manchester are being groomed by criminal gangs and have been found selling drugs in places as far away as Devon. These gang members are rather like modern-day Fagins or Bill Sikes: hard men who groom youngsters and get them to do their dirty work. They need to be stopped in their tracks. The recent Home Office report Ending gang violence and exploitation said that young girls are often groomed for involvement in criminal behaviour and harmful sexual behaviour as part of gang culture. Indeed, the most recent Rotherham trial showed the connection between organised crime and drugs and child sexual exploitation. I have read the recent Home Office report and also the National Crime Agency report on county lines from August 2015, and I think this development is not fully understood or recognised. Someone, somewhere needs to take ownership of a strategy to disrupt this aggressive organised network, and that strategy needs to put the safeguarding of children first. I am not pretending for one minute that Fagin orders would be a silver bullet, but they would indicate a change in culture and a recognition that the responsibility lies with the adults who groom the children. We really cannot afford to make the same mistakes as we did with child sexual exploitation, where
we let terrible things happen to children because we blamed them for bringing about their own exploitation. Child sexual exploitation and drug running and involvement with criminal activities are often intertwined, which is why we need a two-pronged approach. Just as we have prevention orders for child sexual exploitation, we should have similar prevention orders for adults grooming children for criminal behaviour. We need a response to county lines that ensures that children are found, safeguarded and supported out of gangs, and that adults are stopped as early as possible from grooming and manipulating children, and are punished to the full extent of the law. Until then, it will continue to be the young victims who are exploited, blamed and then punished as their abusers and puppet masters continue with a trade that nets organised crime millions of pounds a year. 8 June Tom Pursglove (Con, Corby): What discussions she has had with the Irish Government on cross-border efforts to stop organised crime and terrorism. The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Mrs Theresa Villiers): In December, as part of the implementation of the ‘Fresh Start’ agreement, I attended a meeting with the Irish Government and Northern Ireland Executive at which we agreed on new measures to enhance cooperation on cross-border organised crime. Tom Pursglove: I strongly welcome the arrangements that have been agreed as part of the ‘Fresh Start’ agreement, but does the Secretary of State agree that there must be both strategic and operational co-operation to dismantle gangs and their activities? Mrs Villiers: I would agree, and that is exactly what is happening. The new joint agency taskforce established as a result of the ‘Fresh Start’ agreement enables exactly that kind of operational co-operation on cross-border crimes such as fuel laundering, human trafficking and drug smuggling, and I welcome the progress that has been made on that. 18 April Draft Modern Slavery Act 2015 (Code of Practice) Regulations 2016 were discussed by the First Delegated Legislation Committee. The debate can be read in full here: https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2016-04-18/ debates/062b4d78-9ec7-419a-8a8c-1e54c0d055f5/Draft ModernSlaveryAct2015(CodeOfPractice)Regulations2016 13 April Baroness Young of Hornsey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they intend to monitor companies’ compliance with Part 6 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 regarding transparency in the supply chain. The Advocate-General for Scotland (Lord Keen of Elie) (Con): My Lords, I am obliged to the noble Baroness, Lady Young of Hornsey, for the Question. I am aware of the strong interest she has always expressed in the transparency
provisions in Part 6 of the Modern Slavery Act, and I believe she recently held a round table with a number of NGOs, businesses and other Peers in order to discuss these matters. Pursuant to Section 54(9) of the Modern Slavery Act, guidance for business has been published to help organisations comply with the requirements of the transparency measures in Part 6 of the Act. This includes the requirement to place a link to a statement on their website or, if they have no website, to make it available within 30 days of a request. Organisations failing to comply with their duty will face mounting consumer and investor pressure. If an organisation fails to comply, the Secretary of State may secure a court order. Baroness Young of Hornsey (CB): I thank the noble and learned Lord for his response. The Home Office guidance on transparency in the supply chain states that the Government expect ‘organisations to build on their statements’, and ‘improve’ them ‘over time’. Can the Minister assure the House that a robust monitoring process has been established that supports this ambition and that there is a strategy for making accurate and accessible information free and readily available to members of the public, NGOs and other interested parties? Lord Keen of Elie: There never was an intention to establish any central monitoring system with respect to these provisions. The idea was that there should be far more carrot than stick, and that peer pressure should be brought to bear on companies in order that they address their responsibilities. This was not intended to be some sort of tick-box mechanism whereby they simply put a form into a central repository. However, every company or organisation will be required to have a prominent place on their website to which members of the public may go to establish that the statement required by Part 6 has been made. Baroness Butler-Sloss (CB): What progress is being made towards having a national website on which every business that has to have this message can put it? Lord Keen of Elie: There is at present no intention that there should be such a national website. Baroness Stroud (Con): The anti-slavery commissioner plays a crucial role in tackling modern-day slavery. Given that, will my noble friend please outline plans for the anti-slavery commissioner to be directly involved in the implementation of Part 6 of the Act, with particular reference to work encouraging businesses in this race to the top? Lord Keen of Elie: I wonder whether the noble Baroness will allow me to write to her on the position of the commissioner, because I am not aware of his precise role in the implementation of Part 6, as distinct from his other roles. Lord Rosser (Lab): My Lords, if peer pressure does not work – by which I assume the Government mean that people do not stop using firms that are still exploiting labour as part of the supply chain – are we getting the loud and clear message from the Government today that they do not actually intend to do anything themselves?
Lord Keen of Elie: That is not so. As has been made clear, the Government are committed to reviewing the transparency and supply chain regulations over a five-year period and have already established a two-year internal research programme to look at the effectiveness of the provisions, which will be monitored and considered. They have to be given an opportunity to work. We are in the vanguard of these developments: they were proposed in California, and we were the first country to follow suit with similar provisions, wider in their terms even than California’s. Other countries are looking with interest at the direction in which we have taken this matter. Baroness Doocey (LD): What steps are the Government taking to eradicate modern slavery from supply chains, following the recent report by the British Medical Association which uncovered evidence of endemic abuses of labour rights in the medical gloves sector, which is within the Government’s own supply chain? Lord Keen of Elie: The United Kingdom Government successfully campaigned to establish the first ever UN target for ending modern slavery: sustainable development goal 8.7, which was adopted in 2015 and requires Governments to take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour and end modern slavery and human trafficking. In 2015, the United Kingdom also became the third country in the world to ratify the International Labour Organisation’s forced labour protocol, which commits to ending forced labour. Steps are being taken by the Home Office and other government departments to ensure the clarity of their supply chain. Lord Alton of Liverpool (CB): My Lords, how does the Minister square what he has said to the House about not having a central repository in which people can find out exactly what the interests are of those involved in supply chains, with what his predecessor said when we debated an amendment I moved a year ago in your Lordships’ House? His predecessor said, ‘We want to see these statements in one place so that people can monitor and evaluate them to ensure that the intended action takes place.’ – [Official Report, 25/2/15; col. 1750.] How does the Minister square what he told the House with what the anti-slavery commissioner, Kevin Hyland, said, which was quoted during those debates – ‘I can confirm I fully support the suggestion of a website as the central repository for reports’ – and the evidence given to the House when the California experience failed because of the inability to have such a central website? Lord Keen of Elie: The Government have always been clear that it is for others to establish such a mechanism. We are aware of a number of organisations that propose to set up a central repository. Indeed, I understand that Unseen and the Business & Human Rights Resources Centre have collaborated to develop a central repository for transparency statements linked to the enhanced Modern Slavery Helpline, to be launched later this year. Lord Tebbit (Con): My Lords, have the Government ensured that if they take discriminatory action against such companies, they will not fall foul of any European Union legislation?
Lord Keen of Elie: There is no issue of discrimination arising in these circumstances. Written answers 16 June (Northern Ireland Assembly) Lord Morrow (DUP, Fermanagh and South Tyrone): To ask the Minister of Justice whether any individuals (i) serving prison sentences; or (ii) remanded in custody have been identified as potential victims of human trafficking or forced labour; and if such individuals have been identified, what process is then followed by her Department with regard to their individual cases. Minister: If a prisoner is identified as a possible victim of a human trafficking or of forced labour offence, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) will be informed for further investigation. Where PSNI has grounds to believe that the person is a potential victim of such an offence, and if the individual consents, their case will be referred into the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) where it will be assessed and a conclusive determination made as to whether the individual is a victim of human trafficking or forced labour. Any prisoners who are referred into the NRM will be eligible for appropriate assistance and support under section 18 of the Human Trafficking and Exploitation (Criminal Justice and Support for Victims) Act (Northern Ireland) 2015 (‘the Act’). The Department of Justice currently funds Migrant Help and Belfast and Lisburn Women’s Aid to provide assistance and support to adult potential victims of human trafficking and forced labour while their cases are being assessed in the NRM. Where the potential victim is in prison this will be provided within the prison environment according to assessed need. Where there is a conclusive determination confirming that an individual who has been remanded in custody is a victim of human trafficking or forced labour the Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland (PPS) will consider the case to determine whether the statutory defence under section 22 of the Act applies, or if it does not apply, whether it is in the public interest to prosecute. Where PPS takes a decision not to prosecute the case will be referred back to the court in order to secure the release of the individual from custody. Where a sentenced prisoner receives a conclusive determination confirming that they are a victim of human trafficking or modern slavery their case should be referred to the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) for consideration. Where appropriate the CCRC will refer the case to the Court of Appeal to have the conviction overturned. PSNI has confirmed that since the establishment of its dedicated Human Trafficking Unit on 1 April 2015 three individuals who were on remand in prison have been identified by PSNI as potential victims of human trafficking. Two of these cases have been referred to the NRM and one individual declined to be referred to the NRM. A conclusive determination has not yet been reached in either case. Lord Morrow: To ask the Minister of Justice to detail the number of (i) prosecutions; and (ii) convictions for human trafficking-related offences in each of the last five calendar years. Minister: The most recent five-year period for which information on completed prosecutions and convictions
at courts is available is 2010–2014. During the period in question, offences relating to human trafficking were prosecuted under the Sexual Offences Act 2003. Number of prosecutions and convictions at courts for human trafficking offences, 2010–2014: 2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
Prosecutions
0
3
2
1
4
Convictions
0
0
2
1
1
Note: Figures relate to prosecutions and convictions for the offences in question, whether or not they were the primary offence at prosecution or conviction. The figures provided relate to convictions for all classifications of the offences specified. Figures relate to initial disposals at court: disposals as a result of appeals are not included. As well as offences specifically identifiable as human trafficking offences, during the years specified, there were convictions secured in Northern Ireland courts for offences such as brothel keeping, controlling prostitution for gain and entering into an arrangement to control criminal property. 26 May (European Parliament) Question for written answer to the Commission Rule 130, Mariya Gabriel (PPE): The fight against human trafficking should remain one of our priorities in the coming months and years. This topic does not feature in the programme of the Dutch Presidency, although 2016 is a milestone year in this regard. Indeed, the EU Strategy towards the Eradication of Trafficking in Human Beings 2012-2016 is drawing to an end, and it is time to reflect on the way forward. Commissioner Avramopoulos announced on 10 October 2015 a first report to assess the progress made in combating human trafficking and a second report on the transposition of Directive 2011/36/EU. Could the Commission provide me with a specific time frame for the publication of these two reports? The available data dates back to 2012. Is the Commission envisaging a third Eurostat report with updated data? Comprehensive and comparable data will allow for a more accurate assessment of this issue. In 2012, the Commission announced the establishment of a European Business Coalition to address trafficking in human beings by creating partnerships with the private sector. What is the current state of play of this platform? Mr Avramopoulos on behalf of the Commission: Addressing trafficking in human beings is high on the agenda of the Commission that committedly continues to work in the direction of the eradication of this phenomenon. The Commission is currently working on the first Report on the progress made in addressing trafficking as per Article 20 of the Anti-trafficking Directive(1), which will be presented in the first semester of 2016. The Commission is also monitoring the transposition and implementation of the directive, and the report assessing the measures taken by Member States to comply with the directive
as required under Article 23(1) will be published in the fourth quarter of 2016. At the same time, the Commission will publish a report as per Article 23(2) assessing the impact of national laws criminalising the use of services of victims of trafficking. The Commission is strongly committed to continue the ambitious exercise of gathering statistics and issuing reports on trafficking in human beings, in order to improve comparability and enhance disaggregation of data on victims. It is a priority to ensure that the private sector does become aware and also is held accountable for trafficking in human beings. Following the EU Strategy(2) a European Business Coalition will be established with the aim to reduce the demand and develop supply chains that do not involve trafficking in human beings. This activity has been delayed due to the fact that the Commission is currently considering how to best set up co-operation with the private sector in order for it to fulfil its purpose and ensuring it does not duplicate with other similar activities. A post-2016 strategy will be presented by the end of 2016. Directive 2011/36/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings and protecting its victims, OJ L101, 15.4.2011, p1. http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?u ri=OJ:L:2011:101:0001:0011:EN:PDF (2) The EU Strategy towards the Eradication of Trafficking in Human Beings 2012‐2016, COM (2012) 0286 final. (1)
25 May (House of Commons) Mrs Helen Grant (Con, Maidstone and the Weald): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police raids in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland resulted in potential victims of human trafficking being taken by the police to reception centres in each of the last three years; and if she will make a statement. Karen Bradley: The number of potential victims referred to the National Referral Mechanism by police is published by the National Crime Agency on an annual basis and can be found in a number of tables which can be accessed here: http://www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/publications/ national-referral-mechanism-statistics Information on the numbers of potential victims taken to reception centres following police raids, and whether they subsequently entered the NRM, is recorded on an individual case level but is not held centrally. Mrs Helen Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many potential victims of human trafficking were taken by the police to reception centres following police raids in the last year; what proportion of such potential victims volunteered to enter the National Referral Mechanism; and if she will make a statement. Karen Bradley: The number of potential victims referred to the National Referral Mechanism by police is published by the National Crime Agency on an annual basis and can
be found in a number of tables which can be accessed here: http://www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/publications/ national-referral-mechanism-statistics Information on the numbers of potential victims taken to reception centres following police raids, and whether they subsequently entered the NRM, is recorded on an individual case level but is not held centrally. 23 May Diana Johnson (Lab, Kingston upon Hull North): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many cases of (a) trafficking in human beings and (b) forced labour were recorded by Humberside Police in each year from 2010 to 2015; in how many such cases prosecutions were brought; and what the outcome was of those prosecutions. Karen Bradley: Recorded crime figures for the period 2010 to 2014 do not directly correlate to the two categories in the question. Data on human trafficking for sexual exploitation shows that one case of this type was recorded by Humberside in 2012/13. Crime recording rules stipulate that only the most serious offence in a sequence of crimes is recorded, so it is possible that other cases of trafficking for sexual exploitation offences have been recorded under other offences that could result in a more severe sentence. The Modern Slavery Act 2015 increased the maximum sentence available for modern slavery offences to life imprisonment. Modern Slavery was introduced as a separate crime classification in April 2015. This classification includes trafficking for all forms of exploitation and slavery, servitude and forced or compulsory labour. Between April and December 2015, eight modern slavery crimes were recorded by Humberside. The number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates’ courts and found guilty at all courts for offences related to human trafficking and forced labour in the Humberside Police Force Area, from 2010 to 2015 was four. This is recorded on the basis of the location of the magistrates’ court where proceedings started, and hence it may be that an offence recorded in Humberside was then proceeded against in another police force area. 11 May (European Parliament) 9 February 2016: Question for written answer to the Council Rule 130, Edward Czesak (ECR): Current status of EUNAVFOR Med Sophia Putting a stop to human trafficking on the Mediterranean Sea is vital if we are to end the human tragedies that we have observed in recent months. It would also have a significant and positive influence on stabilising the region and improving its security. These aims are being served by Operation Sophia, which has been active for more than half a year. The most recent information on the status of the operation (the transition to the second phase) was submitted in October 2015. The following questions arise after consulting the relevant documentation and available data:
1. When is the transition to the third phase of the operation (the destruction of traffickers’ vessels) anticipated? 2. Do data exist affirming the effectiveness of the current operation? If so, could you please provide them? 3. Are there plans to step up activities under Operation Sophia or to launch another operation with similar aims? If so, when will the appropriate documentation be prepared? Reply: On 18 January 2016, the Council concluded that the conditions had been met for Eunavfor MED Operation Sophia (‘the operation’) to implement the authority given by UNSCR 2240 (2015) on the high seas off the coast of Libya, in accordance with Council Decision (CFSP) 2015/778(1). On 20 January 2016, the Political and Security Committee accordingly authorised the operation to implement this resolution on the high seas(2). Transition to subsequent phases of the operation, including measures in the territorial and internal waters of that state pursuant to point (b)(ii) of Article 2(2) of Decision (CFSP) 2015/778, will be subject to a further assessment by the Council as to whether the conditions for that transition have been met, taking into account any applicable UNSC Resolution and consent by the coastal states concerned, and a decision by the Political and Security Committee on when to make the transition, in accordance with Council Decision (CFSP) 2015/778 and Council Decision (CFSP) 2015/972(3). By mid-March, 98 vessels had been removed from illegal organisation availability and 58 suspect smugglers and traffickers had been arrested by the Italian authorities following Eunavfor MED activities. Almost 1,500 lives had been saved, with a total of 11,509 migrants rescued since the mission launch on 22 June 2015. The official webpage of the operation contains regular updates as regards its endeavours and achievements (http://eeas.europa. eu/csdp/missions-and-operations/eunavfor-med/news/ index_en.htm). A strategic review of the operation will be conducted shortly and will provide an opportunity for the Council to decide how it wants to take the operation forward. OJ L 122, 19.5.2015, p31. PSC Decision (CFSP) 2016/118, OJ L 23, 29.1.2016, p63. (3) OJ L 157, 23.6.2015, p51. (1) (2)
10 May (House of Commons) Mr David Burrowes (Con, Enfield and Southgate): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress her Department has made on rolling out independent child trafficking advocates. Karen Bradley: The Government is committed to introducing appropriate support for trafficked children. It is important we get these structures right however, given the significant risks to these children. In line with the requirements of Section 48(7) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015, the Government laid a report
before Parliament in December 2015 setting out the steps we proposed to take in relation to independent child trafficking advocates. The full report can be obtained here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ independent-child-trafficking-advocates-trialgovernment-report Since December 2015, we have worked to address issues identified during the trial. We have engaged with Members of both Houses, the offices of the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner and Children’s Commissioner for England. We have also sought views from the voluntary sector and statutory organisations in England and Wales. This engagement has been valuable in assessing how best to deliver an improved service for trafficked children in England and Wales. As part of this engagement, I wrote to the Chairs of the three All Party Parliamentary Groups with the strongest interest in the trial in March, saying that I would wait to receive their views in writing before making a statement to the House about how we will proceed. This week I received letters from the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery and from the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner. I am reflecting on their recommendations and will provide an update to Parliament once we have had an opportunity to consider their valuable input. 9 May Mark Field (Con, London and Westminster): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the National Crime Agency’s National Referral Mechanism Statistics, End of year summary 2015, how many of the 1,104 victims of trafficking identified in 2015 in the Metropolitan Police Force area were identified in each London borough. Karen Bradley: Of the 1,104 potential victims referred to the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) in 2015 that presented in the Metropolitan Police Force area, 68 were EU nationals. The countries of origin of these EU nationals were: Bulgaria, Czech Republic, France, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and the UK. Information on the region of origin and location of recruitment of potential victims is not available. All 1,104 potential victims who presented in the Metropolitan Police Force Area in 2015 were referred to the NRM by a first responder organisation. A breakdown of referrals is available from published NRM statistics on the National Crime Agency website and can be found here: www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/publications/nationalreferral-mechanism-statistics. Breakdowns of data about the London boroughs where potential victims presented are not available. The Salvation Army and its subcontractors provide support in different locations within England and Wales for adult potential victims given a positive reasonable grounds decision. Following a reflection and recovery period, victims are assisted to move on within the UK
or voluntarily return to their home country. The Home Office does not hold data on what happens to individuals once they leave the service. Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which organisations and agencies identified potential victims of trafficking in London boroughs in 2015; which UK regions victims were sent to for their reflection period; what information is held on those people after they exited the shelter; and what follow-up procedures are in place. Karen Bradley: Of the 1,104 potential victims referred to the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) in 2015 that presented in the Metropolitan Police Force area, 68 were EU nationals. The countries of origin of these EU nationals were: Bulgaria, Czech Republic, France, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and the UK. Information on the region of origin and location of recruitment of potential victims is not available. All 1,104 potential victims who presented in the Metropolitan Police Force Area in 2015 were referred to the NRM by a first responder organisation. A breakdown of referrals is available from published NRM statistics on the National Crime Agency website and can be found here: www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/publications/nationalreferral-mechanism-statistics. Breakdowns of data about the London boroughs where potential victims presented are not available. The Salvation Army and its subcontractors provide support in different locations within England and Wales for adult potential victims given a positive reasonable grounds decision. Following a reflection and recovery period, victims are assisted to move on within the UK or voluntarily return to their home country. The Home Office does not hold data on what happens to individuals once they leave the service. Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the National Crime Agency’s National Referral Mechanism Statistics, End of year summary 2015, for what reasons only 89 of the 1,104 potential victims of trafficking who presented in the Metropolitan Police Force area in 2015 were referred by that force to the National Referral Mechanism; and what process was followed with the remaining 1,015 potential victims. Karen Bradley: Of the 1,104 potential victims referred to the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) in 2015 that presented in the Metropolitan Police Force area, 68 were EU nationals. The countries of origin of these EU nationals were: Bulgaria, Czech Republic, France, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and the UK. Information on the region of origin and location of recruitment of potential victims is not available. All 1,104 potential victims who presented in the Metropolitan Police Force Area in 2015 were referred to the NRM by a first responder organisation. A breakdown of referrals is available from published NRM statistics on the National Crime Agency website and can be found here:
www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/publications/nationalreferral-mechanism-statistics. Breakdowns of data about the London boroughs where potential victims presented are not available. The Salvation Army and its subcontractors provide support in different locations within England and Wales for adult potential victims given a positive reasonable grounds decision. Following a reflection and recovery period, victims are assisted to move on within the UK or voluntarily return to their home country. The Home Office does not hold data on what happens to individuals once they leave the service. Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the National Crime Agency’s National Referral Mechanism Statistics, End of year summary 2015, of the 1,104 potential victims of trafficking who presented in the Metropolitan Police Force area in 2015 (a) how many who came from EU countries, (b) from which region each such person came and (c) where each such person was first recruited for trafficking. Karen Bradley: Of the 1,104 potential victims referred to the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) in 2015 that presented in the Metropolitan Police Force area, 68 were EU nationals. The countries of origin of these EU nationals were: Bulgaria, Czech Republic, France, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and the UK. Information on the region of origin and location of recruitment of potential victims is not available. All 1,104 potential victims who presented in the Metropolitan Police Force Area in 2015 were referred to the NRM by a first responder organisation. A breakdown of referrals is available from published NRM statistics on the National Crime Agency website and can be found here: www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/publications/nationalreferral-mechanism-statistics. Breakdowns of data about the London boroughs where potential victims presented are not available. The Salvation Army and its subcontractors provide support in different locations within England and Wales for adult potential victims given a positive reasonable grounds decision. Following a reflection and recovery period, victims are assisted to move on within the UK or voluntarily return to their home country. The Home Office does not hold data on what happens to individuals once they leave the service. 11 April Karl Turner (Lab, Kingston upon Hull East): To ask the Attorney General, if he will place in the Library data gathered by Crown Prosecution Service Business Area of prosecutions and convictions for (a) rape-flagged offences, (b) domestic violence, (c) child abuse and (d) human trafficking for each year since 2013. Jeremy Wright: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) maintains a central record of the number of prosecutions and convictions in each CPS business area flagged as rape, domestic violence, child abuse and human trafficking. The attached tables show the volume of defendants prosecuted
and convicted in flagged cases for each CPS business area over the last three financial years for which data is available. These also include a number of caveats and explanatory notes which should be observed when reviewing the data. Data for 2015/16 will be published later this year and will be placed in the House of Commons library. Attorney General (Prosecutions) Karl Turner: To ask the Attorney General, if he will place in the Library the number of cases of (a) rape, (b) domestic violence, (c) child abuse and (d) human trafficking referred by each police force in England and Wales to each regional division of the Crown Prosecution Service in (i) 2014 and (ii) 2015. Jeremy Wright: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) maintains a central record of the numbers of suspects referred by the police to each CPS business area of cases flagged as involving allegations of rape, domestic violence, child abuse and human trafficking. The attached tables show the volumes of referrals for 2013/14 and 2014/15. The tables are accompanied by a number of caveats and explanatory notes which should be observed when reviewing the data. Data for 2015/16 will be published later this year and will be placed in the House of Commons Library. Home Office (Human Trafficking: Females) Luciana Berger (Lab, Liverpool Wavertree): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will estimate how many and what proportion of all women with mental health issues in the UK have been internally or internationally trafficked. Mike Penning: The Home Office do not hold data that allows us to establish how many women with mental health issues in the UK have been trafficked. 3. Campaigns and resources 3.1 #Askthequestion Campaign from the Modern Slavery Garden urging that businesses be questioned about their supply chains and the steps they are taking to deal with slavery. http://www.modernslaverygarden.com/askthequestion 3.2 Toolkit launched to tackle modern slavery in supply chains Stronger Together and the British Retail Consortium have released a toolkit of best practice guidance and resources to help businesses comply with the UK Modern Slavery Act requirements. http://stronger2gether.org/ 3.3 The Stop App Stop the Traffik have produced a smartphone app to enable the collection and sharing of global data on trafficking. The aim is for individuals to upload what they know about trafficking in their communities to develop a worldwide perspective on the issue in order to combat it. http://www.stopthetraffik.org/uk/page/the-stopapp?platform=hootsuite
4. In the News 4.1 Worst offender lists biased towards rich countries won’t help us fight slavery The Guardian, 30 June https://www.theguardian.com/globaldevelopment/2016/jun/30/slavery-exploitation-worstoffender-lists-biased-towards-rich-countries-wont-help 4.2 ‘Domestic slavery’ cases on rise in England and Wales BBC News, 30 June http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-englandnottinghamshire-36667928 4.3 True scale of modern day slavery exposed as police smash city centre cannabis farm Manchester Evening News, 30 June http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/ greater-manchester-news/true-scale-modern-dayslavery-11545127 4.4 Vulnerable man was kept as a slave, judge rules Leicester Mercury, 30 June http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/vulnerable-manwas-kept-as-a-slave-judge-rules/story-29462854-detail/ story.html 4.5 Romanian pair jailed for controlling prostitution and people trafficking BBC News, 28 June http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northernireland-36652029 4.6 Hampshire ports urged to look out for ship slaves BBC News, 26 June http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-englandhampshire-36624306 4.7 Man convicted of keeping Scot a slave for 10 years The Scotsman, 20 June http://www.scotsman.com/news/man-convicted-ofkeeping-scot-a-slave-for-10-years-1-4159266 4.8 St Albans slavery trial: Johnny Moloney jailed for four years BBC News, 17 June http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucksherts-36559445 4.9 South Yorkshire modern slavery team urges people to look out for victims The Star, 14 June http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/south-yorkshiremodern-slavery-team-urges-people-to-look-out-forvictims-1-7963068 4.10 St Albans slavery trial: Shannon Loveridge cleared of all charges BBC News, 13 June http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucksherts-36520083
4.11 Court finds UK gangmaster liable for modern slavery victims The Guardian, 10 June https://www.theguardian.com/globaldevelopment/2016/jun/10/court-finds-uk-gangmasterliable-for-modern-slavery-victims-kent-chickencatching-eggs 4.12 Chicken catchers win Maidstone gangmaster case BBC News, 10 June http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-36499533 4.13 Police investigating if wrong man caught in antismuggling operation The Guardian, 9 June https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jun/08/ police-investigating-if-wrong-man-caught-in-antismuggling-operation 4.14 Anglesey £1bn site to house modern slaves, not refugees BBC News, 9 June http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-westwales-36488751 4.15 Boston man arrested on suspicion of modern slavery offences Lincolnshire Echo, 9 June http://www.lincolnshireecho.co.uk/boston-manarrested-suspicion-modern-slavery/story-29380483detail/story.html 4.16 Alleged people smuggling kingpin is extradited to Italy The Guardian, 8 June https://www.theguardian.com/law/2016/jun/08/ alleged-people-smuggling-kingpin-is-extradited-to-italy 4.17 Council to discover extent of modern slavery in bid to tackle the issue Slough and South Bucks Observer, 7 June http://www.sloughobserver.co.uk/News/14540665. Council_to_discover_extent_of_modern_slavery_in_bid_ to_tackle_the_issue/ 4.18 Modern slavery operation sees businesses raided in Northwich, Winsford and Crewe Crewe and Nantwich Guardian, 6 June http://www.creweguardian.co.uk/news/14538845. Modern_slavery_operation_sees_businesses_raided_in_ Northwich__Winsford_and_Crewe/?platform=hootsuite 4.19 Three Vietnamese rescued over potential slavery, police say BBC News, 6 June http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-englanddevon-36462892 4.20 Modern slavery: Four arrested in Devon after police investigation North Devon Journal, 6 June http://www.northdevonjournal.co.uk/modern-slavery8203-arrested-devon-police/story-29366292-detail/ story.html
4.21 Surge in arrests of alleged UK-bound peoplesmugglers The Guardian, 4 June https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/jun/04/ surge-arrests-alleged-uk-bound-people-smugglers-dutch 4.22 Gangmasters Licence Authority given extended slavery remit BBC News, 1 June http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-englandnottinghamshire-36426851 4.23 Modern slavery figures up by a third to 45.8 million ITV News, 31 May http://www.itv.com/news/2016-05-31/modern-slaveryfigures-up-by-a-third-to-45-8-million/ 4.24 A slave in Scotland: ‘I fell into a trap-and I couldn’t get out’ The Guardian, 28 May https://www.theguardian.com/globaldevelopment/2016/may/28/slavery-human-traffickinghotel-workers-bangladesh-scotland 4.25 Deptford man charged with slavery offences BBC News, 28 May http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-36405178 4.26 Craigavon: Man, 55, charged with human trafficking BBC News, 26 May http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northernireland-36393313 4.27 There’s only one group who benefits from the refugee crisis: human traffickers The Independent, 25 May http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/theres-onlyone-group-benefitting-from-the-refugee-crisis-humantraffickers-a7048436.html 4.28 Cardiff ‘modern slavery’ victim ‘emotionally broken’ BBC News, 24 May http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-eastwales-36101130 4.29 ‘Modern slavery’ family jailed for Cardiff forced labour BBC News, 24 May http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-eastwales-36332024 4.30 Migrant crisis: Child trafficking on rise in EU BBC News, 19 May http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-36338022 4.31 Human traffickers ‘using migration crisis’ to force more people into slavery The Guardian, 19 May https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/may/19/ human-traffickers-using-migration-crisis-to-force-morepeople-into-slavery
4.32 Three men arrested in Blackburn sex trafficking inquiry BBC News, 12 May http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-englandlancashire-36281177 4.33 Number of trafficked children rose 46% last year, crime agency says The Guardian, 6 May https://www.theguardian.com/law/2016/may/06/ number-trafficked-children-rose-national-crime-agency 4.34 Police looking into allegations of human trafficking in Blackburn ‘discover a cannabis farm’ Lancashire Telegraph, 29 April http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/ blackburn/14458468.Police_looking_into_allegations_of_ human_trafficking_in_Blackburn__discover_a_cannabis_ farm_/ 4.35 More than a dozen modern day ‘car wash slaves’ rescued by police in Cambridge area Cambridge News, 28 April http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/dozen-modern-daycar-wash-slaves-rescued-police/story-29187692-detail/ story.html 4.36 Gillingham man charged with human trafficking and slavery BBC News, 25 April http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-36127467 4.37 Two arrested over ‘slavery’ offences in Barnstaple BBC News, 19 April http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-englanddevon-36079706
4.38 Ten more migrants sue Maidstone gangmaster BBC News, 14 April http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-36047648 4.39 Human trafficking report: Victims reveal devastating impact of abuse with 80 per cent suffering mental health problems The Independent, 14 April http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/humantrafficking-mental-health-kings-college-london-ptsdprostitution-modern-slavery-london-school-a6984456. html 4.40 Smugglers charging migrants £13,500 to get to the UK, says crime agency The Guardian, 12 April https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/apr/12/ smugglers-tariffs-for-getting-migrants-to-the-uk 4.41 Glasgow police raids in human trafficking inquiry BBC News, 9 April http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgowwest-36005295 4.42 Barrow-in-Furness arrests on suspicion of slavery BBC News, 3 April http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-englandcumbria-35955105 4.43 Britain’s Modern Slave Trade (Documentary) Al Jazeera http://interactive.aljazeera.com/aje/2016/uk-slaverysex-slave-smuggling-investigation/phone/index.html
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