Covid-19: Child Trafficking

Debate between Baroness Williams of Trafford and Baroness Massey of Darwen

Tuesday 29th September 2020 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Williams of Trafford (Con)]

The Government see it as very important that we continue not only to share such data but to have access to it. To that end, it is a top priority going forward.

[Baroness Massey of Darwen (Lab) [V]]

My Lords, like the noble Lord, Lord Paddick, I am concerned about the child victims of trafficking who are coerced into illegal activities, such as working in cannabis factories. These children may be caught and prosecuted, while those who run the factories escape. How will our overstretched children’s services support such victims in these challenging times?

[Baroness Williams of Trafford (Con)]

The noble Baroness will recall that, through the Modern Slavery Act 2015, the Government introduced the statutory defence for victims of modern slavery to protect those really vulnerable people who would previously have been unfairly prosecuted, as she said, for crimes that they were forced to commit by their exploiters—notably, as she mentioned, in cannabis cultivation.

Covid-19: Human Trafficking

Debate between Baroness Williams of Trafford and Baroness Massey of Darwen

Thursday 16th July 2020 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Williams of Trafford]

My Lords, whether we have a points-based system or not, people who work in our agricultural sector should be protected from exploitation by unscrupulous people who might employ them. Therefore, I cannot see that our points-based system will have a particular effect, but we should always be on guard against people who might exploit those vulnerable to it.

[Baroness Massey of Darwen (Lab) [V]]

My Lords, before Covid-19 child migrants were already vulnerable to trafficking and suffered problems with health and social care. Could the Minister say what extra support for such children is now available at a local level, and how it will be monitored?

[Baroness Williams of Trafford]

The noble Baroness points to something that we have been very mindful of throughout this lockdown period. I did not quite hear what she said about whom we might support. Was she talking about vulnerable children?

[Baroness Massey of Darwen [V]]

Yes, vulnerable children.

[Baroness Williams of Trafford]

Absolutely, we have been very mindful of the vulnerability of children in all sorts of ways, whether it is from the effects of domestic abuse, online malicious intervention or drugs and gangs. We have secured £1.73 million for charities to provide emergency support to victims, and we have provided a further £1.4 million this year to continue our dedicated funding for the police to tackle modern slavery under the new modern slavery and organised immigration crime programme. This year, we will invest £7 million to safeguard victims of modern slavery.