Recommendations & Conclusions
12 items
3
Conclusion
First Report - Human trafficking
Acknowledged
The Home Office’s shift in policy focus to irregular migration is also demonstrated by the Government’s long delay in producing a new Modern Slavery Strategy and by the recent transfer of elements of responsibility for modern slavery and human trafficking from the Safeguarding Minister’s portfolio to that of the Immigration …
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The Home Office’s shift in policy focus to irregular migration is also demonstrated by the Government’s long delay in producing a new Modern Slavery Strategy and by the recent transfer of elements of responsibility for modern slavery and human trafficking from the Safeguarding Minister’s portfolio to that of the Immigration Minister.
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the importance of a modern slavery strategy, stating it will resume publishing an Annual Report on Modern Slavery this year and will consider delivering a new strategy. It defends its approach to tackling modern slavery and migration together, implicitly addressing the observed …
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Home Office
8
Conclusion
First Report - Human trafficking
Acknowledged
The Modern Slavery Unit’s outputs, including belated information about its new model for stakeholder engagement (Modern Slavery Stakeholder Forums) is opaque to say the least. We deeply regret that a unit comprising 56 staff has prioritised work on the Illegal Migration Act to the detriment of preventing human trafficking, protecting …
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The Modern Slavery Unit’s outputs, including belated information about its new model for stakeholder engagement (Modern Slavery Stakeholder Forums) is opaque to say the least. We deeply regret that a unit comprising 56 staff has prioritised work on the Illegal Migration Act to the detriment of preventing human trafficking, protecting victims and prosecuting offenders responsible for human trafficking.
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the committee's report and the focus on illegal migration, but asserts its continued commitment to tackling modern slavery with an expansive system of work, noting that efforts remain under review.
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Home Office
12
Conclusion
First Report - Human trafficking
Acknowledged
Enforcement of the current provisions of Section 53A of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 is insufficient to deter those who buy sex.
Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the committee's observation by explaining the nature of Section 53A and stating that police prioritize investigating more serious modern slavery crimes due to higher penalties, justifying current enforcement practices.
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Home Office
31
Conclusion
First Report - Human trafficking
Acknowledged
The high number of referrals into the National Referral Mechanism and the number of live investigations together highlight the ability to identify human trafficking and exploitation that occurs in the UK. These cases are resource-intensive and potentially complex; however, the low prosecution rates are unacceptable. The criminal justice system faces …
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The high number of referrals into the National Referral Mechanism and the number of live investigations together highlight the ability to identify human trafficking and exploitation that occurs in the UK. These cases are resource-intensive and potentially complex; however, the low prosecution rates are unacceptable. The criminal justice system faces constant competing resource demands in this area; however, it needs to Human trafficking 75 be a Government priority to increase the charging and conviction rates for modern slavery and human trafficking offences, to reflect the seriousness of this crime.
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the importance of pursuing and prosecuting human trafficking offenses and states its commitment to driving up prosecution rates through collaboration with law enforcement agencies.
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Home Office
32
Recommendation
First Report - Human trafficking
Acknowledged
Criminal justice practitioners, including the police in England and Wales, the National Crime Agency and Crown Prosecution Service, must urgently review and then accelerate and scale up their efforts to investigate, prosecute and effectively adjudicate human trafficking and modern slavery cases. Cross-organisation working must support the priority goal of evidence …
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Criminal justice practitioners, including the police in England and Wales, the National Crime Agency and Crown Prosecution Service, must urgently review and then accelerate and scale up their efforts to investigate, prosecute and effectively adjudicate human trafficking and modern slavery cases. Cross-organisation working must support the priority goal of evidence gathering.
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the importance of pursuing and prosecuting human trafficking offenses and states its commitment to driving up prosecution rates through collaboration with law enforcement agencies.
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Home Office
38
Conclusion
First Report - Human trafficking
Acknowledged
Training should be centralised, for example via the National Police Chiefs’ Council Modern Slavery and Organised Immigration training resources. Tackling human trafficking should be recognised as a national law enforcement priority and be resourced at a level commensurate with the harm it causes to these vulnerable victims of crime.
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Training should be centralised, for example via the National Police Chiefs’ Council Modern Slavery and Organised Immigration training resources. Tackling human trafficking should be recognised as a national law enforcement priority and be resourced at a level commensurate with the harm it causes to these vulnerable victims of crime.
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Government response AI summary
The government states it keeps relevant legislation under regular review and will continue to work with voluntary and community sector organisations to help individuals exit prostitution and sex work, without addressing the specific calls for centralised training or declaring human trafficking a national law enforcement …
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Home Office
45
Conclusion
First Report - Human trafficking
Acknowledged
It is the case that investigations into all forms of human trafficking should proactively consider an evidence-led prosecutions approach, with the CPS guidance on domestic abuse and evidential opportunities being transferable to human trafficking.
Government response AI summary
The government describes existing guidance and training provided by the CPS and the College of Policing.
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Home Office
46
Recommendation
First Report - Human trafficking
Acknowledged
The Home Office should include a section on evidence-led prosecutions in its modern slavery statutory guidance drawing on Article 27 (1) of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (ECAT). Similarly, the Crown Prosecution Service should amend its Guidance to Prosecutors on modern slavery and …
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The Home Office should include a section on evidence-led prosecutions in its modern slavery statutory guidance drawing on Article 27 (1) of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (ECAT). Similarly, the Crown Prosecution Service should amend its Guidance to Prosecutors on modern slavery and the College of Policing should include in its Authorised Professional Practice (APP) on modern slavery training content.
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Government response AI summary
The government describes existing guidance and training provided by the CPS and the College of Policing.
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Home Office
47
Conclusion
First Report - Human trafficking
Acknowledged
The National Crime Agency’s (NCA) remit is not only international but also includes internal organised crime group threats. The NCA’s work has been mostly diverted to focus on tackling smuggling upstream, in line with the Government’s focus on organised immigration crime. The diverting of resources away from modern slavery and …
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The National Crime Agency’s (NCA) remit is not only international but also includes internal organised crime group threats. The NCA’s work has been mostly diverted to focus on tackling smuggling upstream, in line with the Government’s focus on organised immigration crime. The diverting of resources away from modern slavery and human trafficking impacts the fight against both UK-based trafficking and at the international level.
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the committee's observation by reiterating that modern slavery remains a priority for the NCA, and justifies its focus on illegal migration by highlighting the close links between modern slavery and migration.
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Home Office
59
Conclusion
First Report - Human trafficking
Acknowledged
The role fulfilled by Victim Navigators is essential to supporting victims in the criminal justice process and enabling investigation teams to build evidential cases.
Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the crucial role of Victim Navigators and states its commitment to ensuring they have the resources and training needed, while working with Victim Support to improve service provision.
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Home Office
63
Recommendation
First Report - Human trafficking
Acknowledged
The Home Office should report in its annual and quarterly statistics on the waiting times for all cases within the system, the amount of time for which referrals are suspended, withdrawn, or closed, so that a better picture can be drawn of actual waiting times.
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The Home Office should report in its annual and quarterly statistics on the waiting times for all cases within the system, the amount of time for which referrals are suspended, withdrawn, or closed, so that a better picture can be drawn of actual waiting times.
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Government response AI summary
The government recognizes the importance of transparency and data and states it will keep under review what additional data can be published without compromising ongoing investigations and mentions steps taken to improve timeliness of NRM decision-making.
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Home Office
72
Conclusion
First Report - Human trafficking
Acknowledged
The Nationality and Borders Act 2022 and revisions to the Modern Slavery statutory guidance have changed the amount and type of evidence required for a potential victim to be referred into the National Referral Mechanism decision-making process. It is unclear what the impact of either of these changes will be …
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The Nationality and Borders Act 2022 and revisions to the Modern Slavery statutory guidance have changed the amount and type of evidence required for a potential victim to be referred into the National Referral Mechanism decision-making process. It is unclear what the impact of either of these changes will be on either victims and First Responders, but early data suggests a decline of positive Reasonable Grounds decisions for potential victims and a significantly increased draw on First Responder capacity.
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the committee's observations about the impact of the Nationality and Borders Act 2022 on NRM decisions, stating they are monitoring and evaluating these changes and that the decline in positive Reasonable Grounds decisions is the intended outcome for robust decision-making.
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Home Office