Select committee: Business, Innovation, Science and Trade Committee
Recommendation 8
Fifth Report - Uyghur forced labour in Xinjiang and UK value chains
Published 17 Mar 2021
Paragraph 46
Addressed to Department for Business and Trade
Business, Innovation, Science and Trade Committee Forced labour in UK value chains All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Recommendation (the committee's words)
In addition, we call on the Government to report to the Committee on the feasibility and legal basis of further measures in respect of supply chains linked to Xinjiang, including i) a whitelist of companies that have taken significant and clearly evidenced actions regarding their supply chain links to Xinjiang, and ii) a blacklist of firms that have failed to provide evidence that they do not have supply chain links to Xinjiang or refuse to answer questions about possible links. These lists should also include companies that secure contracts from the UK Government, and an updated version should be published every six months. Companies that are operating in Xinjiang must prove that they are not in breach of the Modern Slavery Act 2015.
From: Business, Innovation, Science and Trade Committee, Fifth Report - Uyghur forced labour in Xinjiang and UK value chains (HC 1272), paragraph 46, 17 March 2021
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 10 June 2021 (deadline 17 May 2021).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government sets out measures on Xinjiang forced labour and the Modern Slavery Act, but is "not convinced of the case" for reviewing the Company Directors Disqualification Act and is "not currently considering" a director-led working group or a whitelist.
- On the Modern Slavery Act, the government "partially accepts these recommendations". It will introduce financial penalties for failing to publish annual statements, with details "in due course", and is "committed to amending the legislation as soon as parliamentary time allows".
- On a Director-led working group, the government "is not currently considering" one, citing existing cross-government structures, but "notes the recommendation" and keeps governance structures "under review".
- On whitelists and blacklists, the government "is not currently considering" a whitelist, saying it would be "impossible" to verify comprehensively whether tens of thousands of companies have taken action. It will continue a "collaborative approach".
- On ODA funding in China, BEIS "agrees that there is a need for greater transparency" in Newton Fund use and is introducing a new digital data submission tool for partner organisations.