Asked by: Karen Bradley (Conservative - Staffordshire Moorlands)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many exit checks (a) in person and (b) using automated processes were carried out for EEA and Swiss nationals departing from all UK ports and airports in (i) 2018 and (ii) 2019; and what information those checks recorded.
Answered by Kevin Foster
We re-introduced exit checks in April 2015 to further complement our work on border security, plus support the Home Office’s wider work to deal with illegal immigration.
The vast majority of passengers leaving the country on scheduled commercial international air, sea and rail routes now go through exit checks. The data collected is already providing the police and security services with information to help track the movements of known criminals and terrorists.
Border Force hold data for outbound alerts issued by Border Force at the National Border Targeting Centre (NBTC). However, we do not hold a breakdown of the data in the format requested.
A variety of agencies, including Border Force, undertake in person outbound interventions, as a result of this activity there is no single record held on their respective outcomes.
Government is working to ensure all parties including other government departments, traders, industry and passengers are prepared for the changes which will come into effect at the UK border on 1 January 2021.
Asked by: Karen Bradley (Conservative - Staffordshire Moorlands)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress has been made on introducing automated exit checks for people departing the UK; and whether exit checks will be carried out on (a) all travellers and (b) at all ports from 1 January 2021.
Answered by Kevin Foster
We re-introduced exit checks in April 2015 to further complement our work on border security, plus support the Home Office’s wider work to deal with illegal immigration.
The vast majority of passengers leaving the country on scheduled commercial international air, sea and rail routes now go through exit checks. The data collected is already providing the police and security services with information to help track the movements of known criminals and terrorists.
Border Force hold data for outbound alerts issued by Border Force at the National Border Targeting Centre (NBTC). However, we do not hold a breakdown of the data in the format requested.
A variety of agencies, including Border Force, undertake in person outbound interventions, as a result of this activity there is no single record held on their respective outcomes.
Government is working to ensure all parties including other government departments, traders, industry and passengers are prepared for the changes which will come into effect at the UK border on 1 January 2021.
Asked by: Karen Bradley (Conservative - Staffordshire Moorlands)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential for visa-free entry for EEA national visitors after the end of free movement to be abused by human traffickers to exploit EEA nationals in the UK; and what plans she has to prevent such exploitation.
Answered by Kevin Foster
At the end of the Transition Period EEA nationals will become subject to immigration control.
The UK does not intend to subject EEA visitors to a visa requirement at the end of the transition period. Visitors to the UK are assessed against the same suitability and eligibility requirements regardless of nationality. The only difference between visa nationals and non-visa nationals is where the assessment of their suitability and eligibility for entry to the UK is carried out, therefore the absence of a visa requirement does not materially change the risk of being exploited.
We continue to fulfil our public sector equality duties under s149 of the Equality Act 2010. ?We have prepared an overarching equality impactassessment (EIA) for the future points-based system. This will continue to be considered as policies are developed.
We are carefully considering the conclusions made by the Windrush Lessons Learned Review?and?will ensure further evaluation is taken forward in line with these recommendations.
Asked by: Karen Bradley (Conservative - Staffordshire Moorlands)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to update the Modern Slavery Strategy.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The UK Government is committed to tackling the heinous crime of modern slavery and bringing those individuals responsible both in the UK and overseas to justice. The response is underpinned by the Modern Slavery Strategy 2014 and the Modern Slavery Act 2015, the first legislation of its kind in the world.
The Government is identifying more victims of modern slavery and doing more to bring perpetrators to justice than ever before. In 2019, the Government’s manifesto included a commitment to continue the campaign to eradicate the scourge of modern slavery and human trafficking. In May 2020, at the Prime Minister’s Virtual Summit on Hidden Harms, the Government reiterated the absolute priority that we place on preventing and protecting those at risk from hidden harms, including modern slavery.
In addition, the Government recently established the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) Transformation Programme, which will address the challenges that the current NRM system faces. The NRM is the process by which the UK identifies and supports potential victims of modern slavery. Building on the successes of recent NRM reforms, the NRM Transformation Programme will make sure genuine victims have their cases settled promptly, receive support tailored to their needs, and are empowered to move on with their lives.
The UK is the first country in the world to require businesses to report on the steps they have taken to tackle modern slavery in their operations and global supply chains. This landmark ‘Transparency in Supply Chains’ provision in the Modern Slavery Act encourages a change in business culture, spotlighting modern slavery risks on boardroom agendas and within the international human rights community. In addition, on 26 March 2020, we became the first country to publish a Government Modern Slavery Statement setting out the steps we have taken to identify and prevent modern slavery in our own supply chains.
Asked by: Karen Bradley (Conservative - Staffordshire Moorlands)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what support is provided to potential victims of human trafficking who are also asylum seekers in section 98 accommodation awaiting their decision.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The Government is committed to ensuring the support of potential and confirmed victims of modern slavery.
Section 98 asylum accommodation provides temporary, generally full board accommodation. This provides in-kind support provisions to meet the individual’s essential living needs.
Individuals with a positive reasonable grounds decision and have consented to Victim Care Contract (VCC) support, who are also asylum seekers in section 98 accommodation will receive essential support services from a VCC support worker who can provide specialist support and advocacy services to help assist victims to rebuild their lives.
Asked by: Karen Bradley (Conservative - Staffordshire Moorlands)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of imposing restrictions on the online activity of convicted sex offenders.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The UK has some of the toughest powers in the world to deal with sex offenders and we are committed to ensuring that the system is as robust as it can be. The Government believes that the current legislation provides a sufficiently robust framework to allow the police to monitor sex offenders and minimise the likelihood of reoffending. We keep this legislation under constant review to ensure that law enforcement continues to have the tools it needs to tackle the evolving threat of online exploitation.
Under current legislation, sex offenders can have a range of restrictions placed on them depending on what the court deems necessary to protect the public. This can include; a condition that the individual cannot use any computer unless specialist computer monitoring software is installed on it; prohibiting the offender from using any device capable of accessing the internet unless it has the capacity to retain and display the history of internet use; the offender makes the device available on request for inspection by a police officer; and prohibiting the offender from deleting their internet history.
Asked by: Karen Bradley (Conservative - Staffordshire Moorlands)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress her Department has been made on developing a registry of modern slavery statements.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The Government has committed to develop a new gov.uk registry for organisations in scope of the requirements of the Modern Slavery Act to publish their modern slavery statements. As well as enabling the Government to monitor compliance with the legislation, the registry will increase transparency - by making it easier for the consumers, NGOs and investors to find and scrutinise modern slavery statements.
The Discovery and Alpha phases of the digital project have now been completed. These stages involved user research with business, public bodies, NGOs and investors to inform the design of the service. The project is now progressing to the Beta phase of work, which will involve further research with users as we build and launch the service.
Asked by: Karen Bradley (Conservative - Staffordshire Moorlands)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the National Referral Mechanism for protecting children that are victims of (a) human trafficking and (b) modern slavery.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
Modern slavery is an umbrella term which includes trafficking, slavery and forced or compulsory labour.
The Government is committed to providing all child victims of modern slavery the support they need by ensuring the effectiveness of the National Referral Mechanism (NRM). While referrals are made to the NRM – our system for identifying, supporting and protecting victims, the support they need is provided by Local Authorities under their safeguarding responsibilities.
The safety and welfare of all child victims, irrespective of whether they have experienced slavery and/ or trafficking, are addressed as the priority. Local authorities are responsible for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children in their area. If a child in the NRM becomes looked after, they will be entitled to the same level of support and care as all looked after children regardless of their nationality or immigration status. Local children's services will work in close co-operation with the police and other statutory agencies to offer potential child victims of modern slavery the protection and support they require.
In addition to this statutory support, the Government has expanded Independent Child Trafficking Guardians (ICTGs) to one third of local authorities in England and Wales. ICTGs are an additional source of advice and support for all potential child victims of modern slavery, irrespective of nationality, and somebody who can advocate on their behalf.
In October 2017, the Government announced an ambitious package of reforms to the NRM. These reforms enable the NRM to deliver quicker and more certain decision-making that stakeholders and victims have confidence in; improved support for adult victims before, during and after the NRM; improved identification of victims; and improved support to child victims of modern slavery. More information on the NRM reform is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-referral-mechanism-reform/national-referral-mechanism-reform