Asked by: Martin Docherty-Hughes (Scottish National Party - West Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what preparations her Department is making for the coordination of efforts to tackle human trafficking with EU member states after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Sarah Newton
The UK will in due course be leaving the EU. Co-operation with our EU and global allies will continue on the important issue of tackling modern slavery after our exit. We are determined to do whatever is necessary to turn the tide on perpetrators as well as ensure victims are appropriately supported. It would be wrong to set out unilateral positions on specific measures in advance of negotiations.
During the period of the negotiations to exit the EU, the UK remains a full member of the EU and we will continue our work with EU partners to tackle modern slavery including through the EU Directive on Trafficking of Human Beings 2011.
Asked by: Martin Docherty-Hughes (Scottish National Party - West Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with her European counterparts on strengthening EU-wide border controls, coast guard provision and asylum systems in order to treat people arriving in Europe swiftly and with due diligence on account of EU legislation.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
The Home Secretary regularly discusses migration issues with European counterparts, both during bilateral discussions and other forums such as Justice and Home Affairs Council, even though the UK has retained its border controls and decides UK participation in individual European measures on a case by case basis.
We regularly discuss the importance of work by other European countries to strengthen EU-wide border controls through increased checks and effective swift processing of asylum applications, improved cooperation between national and EU agencies, and improvements to European asylum systems. We are clear on the importance of this work as part of a comprehensive approach to tackling illegal migration into Europe.