Asked by: Lord McColl of Dulwich (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the cost of policing Extinction Rebellion protests in (1) 2019, (2) 2020, and (3) 2021; and whether any of those costs have been met by the organisers of the protests.
Answered by Lord Greenhalgh
The highly disruptive tactics used by some protesters cause a disproportionate impact on the surrounding communities and are a drain on public funds. The management of protests, including the tactics they use; their cost; and their resourcing, is an operational matter for the police. The PCSC Bill aims to allow the police to take a more proactive approach in managing highly disruptive protests and will increase the police’s ability to prevent protests causing serious disruption to the public,
During Extinction Rebellion’s protests of April and October 2019, the Metropolitan Police Service reported that policing operations for the two extended protests cost around £37m - more than twice the annual budget of London's violent crime taskforce.
The right to peaceful protest remains a fundamental tool of civic expression and will not be curtailed by this Government. Protesters are not charged for the costs of policing protests.
Asked by: Lord McColl of Dulwich (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the data provided in the 2020 UK Annual Report on Modern Slavery about the average length of support requested under the Recovery Needs Assessment (RNA) process, between 27 September 2019 and 30 June 2020, what was the average length of support (1) requested in initial RNAs made after a positive conclusive grounds decision, (2) provided under initial RNAs after a positive conclusive grounds decision, and beyond the 45 days post-NRM move on support, (3) requested in subsequent RNAs following an initial RNA, and (4) provided in subsequent RNAs following an initial RNA.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
This Government is committed to stamping out modern slavery and providing victims with the support they need to rebuild their lives.
The information requested on RNA data does not currently form part of the published NRM statistics. The Home Office publishes quarterly statistics regarding the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) which can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/national-referral-mechanism-statistics.
The UK Annual Report on Modern Slavery can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/2020-uk-annual-report-on-modern-slavery.
Asked by: Lord McColl of Dulwich (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the average length of time for a confirmed victim of modern slavery to receive (1) an initial Recovery Needs Assessment plan, and (2) a decision on a subsequent Recovery Needs Assessment request for ongoing support, between 27 September 2019 and 30 June 2020.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
This Government is committed to stamping out modern slavery and providing victims with the support they need to rebuild their lives.
The information requested on RNA data does not currently form part of the published NRM statistics. The Home Office publishes quarterly statistics regarding the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) which can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/national-referral-mechanism-statistics.
The UK Annual Report on Modern Slavery can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/2020-uk-annual-report-on-modern-slavery.
Asked by: Lord McColl of Dulwich (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many individual confirmed victims of modern slavery had more than one Recovery Needs Assessment due to ongoing support needs, between 27 September 2019 to 30 June 2020.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
This Government is committed to stamping out modern slavery and providing victims with the support they need to rebuild their lives.
The information requested on RNA data does not currently form part of the published NRM statistics. The Home Office publishes quarterly statistics regarding the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) which can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/national-referral-mechanism-statistics.
The UK Annual Report on Modern Slavery can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/2020-uk-annual-report-on-modern-slavery.
Asked by: Lord McColl of Dulwich (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether requests for accommodation under the Recovery Needs Assessment (RNA) process referred to in the 2020 UK Annual Report on Modern Slavery were received from (a) victims already provided with accommodation under the Victim Care Contract (VCC), (b) victims not provided with accommodation under the VCC at the time of the request, or (c) both; and whether victims not currently accommodated by the VCC are eligible to request accommodation under the RNA process.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
The Recovery Needs Assessment (RNA) process takes place for all confirmed victims of modern slavery who are receiving support through the Victim Care Contract (VCC), including those in both outreach support and those provided with accommodation through the VCC. The RNA process ensures that support is tailored to the victims’ individual recovery needs and informs a tailored move-on plan to help victims transition out of VCC support as appropriate.
Support workers can request any or all three pillars of VCC support – accommodation, financial support and support worker contact – where appropriate for any confirmed victim undergoing the RNA process. VCC accommodation will be provided, or will continue to be provided, where there is an identified recovery need for it and where alternative accommodation options are not available or suitable. If, for any reason, the recovery needs of a confirmed victim change during the approved move-on plan, a further RNA can be completed by the support worker to reflect this.
Asked by: Lord McColl of Dulwich (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what training on conducting Recovery Needs Assessments (RNA) and approving RNA plans has been provided to staff (1) of the Salvation Army, (2) subcontractors in the Victim Care Contract, and (3) the Single Competent Authority; and what funds have been provided for such training to be carried out.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
All confirmed victims of Modern Slavery will have their support needs assessed by their support worker as part of the Recovery Needs Assessment (RNA) process, to inform a tailored move-on plan that is personalised to their specific recovery needs. These assessments are quality assured by the prime contractor (The Salvation Army, ‘TSA’) before being submitted to the Single Competent Authority (SCA) for a decision.
The published RNA guidance provides detailed information for TSA, subcontractors and the SCA on carrying out this process. This document includes guidance on how to complete the RNA form, guidance on when recovery needs arising from modern slavery may require support through the Victim Care Contract (VCC) and where recovery needs may be met by alternative support services. This guidance can be found: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/recovery-needs-assessment-rna-process-guidance.
Staff training for TSA and its subcontractors, including training on the RNA process, is a matter for TSA as the prime contractor. Training costs are met by funds provided through the Home Office’s VCC to deliver these support services.
All new SCA staff working on RNAs receive initial training detailing decision-making practice, the purpose of RNAs, published guidance, legislation, decision types and quality expectations. Following initial training each new Decision Maker (DM) spends a number of weeks shadowing an experienced DM, being shown a variety of decisions being considered and written, and referring back to guidance. This consolidation period allows a new DM to match the theoretical learning with its practical application.
The DM will then be allocated suitable cases of their own to start making decisions for victims. Each DM has a buddy (who is an experienced member of the team) allocated for any support required, and every decision is checked by a Technical Expert for accuracy and quality. The cases assigned increase in variety and complexity, with the buddy system and full checking remaining in place to ensure that every decision is correct and any additional support or learning for the DM is provided. Once the quality and accuracy checking results for a DM are consistently at the standards required, the DM becomes a “signed off” decision maker and moves into Business As Usual checking arrangements.
Asked by: Lord McColl of Dulwich (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay on 7 September (HL Deb, cols 620–2), whether they will place in the Library of the House a copy of the analysis of which rights within the EU Anti-Trafficking Directive 2011/36/EU will have direct effect in the UK on 1 January 2021, notwithstanding any court judgments made before the end of the year.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
The Government is committed to eradicating human trafficking and the scourge of modern slavery.
As Lord Parkinson rightly noted, the UK currently gives effect to obligations on modern slavery under Council of the Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (ECAT), Article 4 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and the EU Anti-Trafficking Directive (2011/36), through the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and policy guidance.
At the end of the EU Exit transition period in December 2020, the UK will no longer be bound by EU law. The Modern Slavery Act 2015 and relevant policy guidance will be unaffected. The UK will remain bound by international obligations in relation to preventing and combatting human trafficking and modern slavery – most notably ECAT and Article 4 ECHR, neither of which have been impacted by our exit from the EU.
We are implementing a programme of work to transform how we identify and support victims of modern slavery, emphasising our continued commitment to a world-leading system having left the European Union.
Asked by: Lord McColl of Dulwich (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 10 March (HL1877), when the next evaluation of the Independent Child Trafficking Guardians will be published.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
An evaluation of the Independent Child Trafficking Guardians (ICTG) service within the early adopter sites was published in July 2019 and can be found here (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/819723/evaluation-independent-child-trafficking-guardians-final-horr111.pdf). This evaluation was conducted on the service provided in the three initial sites of Greater Manchester, Hampshire and Wales between February 2017 and January 2019. Over this time period, 445 children were referred to the ICTG service.
Later this year the Home Office will publish its next evaluation of the ICTG service, which will have a particular focus on the role and impact of the Regional Practice Co-Ordinator and will provide further updates on outcomes of the service including the number of children it supports.
In 2019, the Independent Review of the Modern Slavery Act 2015, made a number of recommendations about ICTGs. In-line with the Government’s response (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/815410/Government_Response_to_Independent_Review_of_MS_Act.pdf), we are considering these recommendations, alongside evaluation outcomes, which will feed into our future plans for ICTGs.
Asked by: Lord McColl of Dulwich (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 11 March (HL1941), how much money has been allocated to fund Independent Child Trafficking Guardians for this (1) financial year, and (2) the next two financial years.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
Last year, the Government successfully rolled out Independent Child Trafficking Guardians (ICTGs) to one third of local authorities in England and Wales.
The continued national roll-out of ICTGs will be progressed as part of the recently established NRM Transformation Programme, which is designed to make sure we have a system that effectively identifies and delivers needs-based support for child and adult victims of modern slavery, is legally robust, sustainable and resilient to misuse. We will continue to review how the needs of individual children are best met at local level through the programme.
This financial year, the Home Office has allocated approximately £1.6m to the provision of Independent Child Trafficking Guardians (ICTGs) in the existing six early adopter sites. Home Office budget allocations for 2021/22 and 2022/23 will be determined in the next Spending Review.
Asked by: Lord McColl of Dulwich (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many children have been referred to Independent Child Trafficking Guardians since 1 February 2019.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
An evaluation of the Independent Child Trafficking Guardians (ICTG) service within the early adopter sites was published in July 2019 and can be found here (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/819723/evaluation-independent-child-trafficking-guardians-final-horr111.pdf). This evaluation was conducted on the service provided in the three initial sites of Greater Manchester, Hampshire and Wales between February 2017 and January 2019. Over this time period, 445 children were referred to the ICTG service.
Later this year the Home Office will publish its next evaluation of the ICTG service, which will have a particular focus on the role and impact of the Regional Practice Co-Ordinator and will provide further updates on outcomes of the service including the number of children it supports.
In 2019, the Independent Review of the Modern Slavery Act 2015, made a number of recommendations about ICTGs. In-line with the Government’s response (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/815410/Government_Response_to_Independent_Review_of_MS_Act.pdf), we are considering these recommendations, alongside evaluation outcomes, which will feed into our future plans for ICTGs.