Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to prevent properties rented out via AirBnB being used as brothels.

The focus of Government activity with regards to prostitution and sex work is to tackle the harm and exploitation that can be associated with it, and we believe that people who want to leave prostitution should be given every opportunity to find routes out.

The Government has commissioned a research project into the prevalence and nature of prostitution in England and Wales; to inform the evidence base before any changes are made to policy and legislation in respect of prostitution. This independent research is being led by the University of Bristol and we anticipate receiving their report in the Spring this year.

It is illegal to keep a brothel in England and Wales, or to allow premises to be used as one, and the law does not distinguish between types of brothel.

Enforcement action is an operational matter for the police, who are in the best position to identify and respond to issues related to prostitution and sex work in their communities. They are supported in this by guidance developed by the National Policing Lead for prostitution, which emphasises the priority given to protecting vulnerable people from harm.