Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many of the 5,145 potential victims referred into the National Referral Mechanism in 2017 were placed in safe house accommodation.

All potential victims of Modern Slavery who receive a positive Reasonable Grounds decision are entitled to receive comprehensive support through the National Referral Mechanism.

Adult potential victims must consent to receive support, which can either take the form of safe house accommodation or outreach support if they already have safe and secure accommodation.

In England and Wales, adults are supported through the Victim Care Contract, and in 2017, 79% of adult potential victims were in receipt of outreach support, while 21% were supported in safe house accommodation. Regardless of where an individual is accommodated, they receive advocacy and signposting to specialist support (the usual form of words). Some potential victims do not consent to receive support.

Of the 5,145 potential victims who were referred into the National Referral Mechanism, 2,118 were children, who are provided with support by the local authority, and therefore do not enter the victim care contact.