Asked by: Lord Garnier (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they will publish the guidance relating to failure to prevent fraud offences, as required under section 204 of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The government is currently working on the guidance for the new offence. We hope to publish it in early summer. The offence will then come into effect after an implementation period of 6 months is complete.
The offence is similar to the existing offence of failure to prevent bribery and failure to prevent facilitation of tax evasion, both of which have had success in changing business culture.
It will drive a culture change towards improved fraud prevention procedures in organisations and hold them to account if they profit from fraud by their employees, agents or other persons providing services on their behalf.
Asked by: Lord Garnier (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, following their report Security Industry Authority: triennial review 2016 to 2017, published on 7 June 2018, when they intend to introduce the regulation and licensing of private investigators.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The Government is committed to ensuring the integrity of the private security industry, including private investigators and is considering the Review and its recommendations carefully. The Government’s final response will be published in due course.
Asked by: Lord Garnier (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to encourage the seizure of assets of human traffickers at the point of arrest, rather than conviction.
Answered by Sarah Newton
The Modern Slavery taskforce, chaired by the Prime Minister, is coordinating activity across law enforcement agencies to ensure that powers available to disrupt, deter and prevent human trafficking are used to best effect.
This includes powers under Section 12 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 to detain vehicles, ships and aircraft from those arrested on suspicion of human trafficking offences and wider powers available under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.
Asked by: Lord Garnier (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people convicted of human trafficking in the UK who returned to their country of origin to serve their sentence have had their assets (a) in the UK or (b) overseas seized to compensate (i) victims of trafficking, (ii) police forces and (iii) HM Treasury; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Sarah Newton
Data on the number of convicted human traffickers returned to their countries of origin to serve the sentence and whose assets (whether in the UK or overseas) have also been seized to compensate victims, police forces and HM Treasury is not collated centrally.
Asked by: Lord Garnier (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans she has to collect data on outcomes of victims of human trafficking referred to in the national referral mechanism after they have co-operated with police and provided evidence to assist with prosecutions.
Answered by Sarah Newton
As part of our work to evaluate the National Referral Mechanism pilot, we are looking at what data should be gathered in future.
Asked by: Lord Garnier (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans she has to mark Anti-Slavery Day 2016; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Sarah Newton
Anti-Slavery Day on 18 October is an important opportunity to continue to raise awareness of this appalling crime. We have made good progress in tackling it, but there is more to do.
A range of events will mark the day and the Government will announce its plans in due course.
Asked by: Lord Garnier (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans she has to mark Anti-Slavery Day and to acknowledge the work of non-governmental organisations, local authorities and people involved in tackling slavery; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Sarah Newton
Local authorities, Non-Governmental Organisations and the statutory agencies all make a vital contribution to the fight against modern slavery. Various events will mark Anti-Slavery Day and I will announce my own plans in due course.
Asked by: Lord Garnier (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she expects provisions in the Private Security Industry Act 2001 on private investigators to come into force; which individuals and organisations she has held discussions with on these powers; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Karen Bradley
The Government is committed to ensuring the integrity of the private security industry and this includes private investigators.
In July, the Government committed to a review (formerly triennial review) of the Security Industry Authority. That review may make further recommendations for legislative change which the Government will then consider.
Home Office Ministers have regular meetings with Ministerial colleagues and others as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings.
Asked by: Lord Garnier (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Answer of 13 May 2014, Official Report, column 462W, on private investigation, on what date she expects the new statutory licensing requirement to come into force.
Answered by Karen Bradley
We expect the new statutory licensing regime for those conducting the activity of private investigations to come into force in 2015.
Asked by: Lord Garnier (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Answer of 13 May 2014, Official Report, 462W, on private investigation, whether she plans to consult upon the terms and conditions of licences for private investigators prior to their implementation under the new statutory licensing requirement.
Answered by Karen Bradley
The Security Industry Authority (SIA) - the regulator of the private security
industry - will engage with the private investigations sector on the development
of licensing criteria and conditions prior to the implementation of the new
licensing regime.