Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what criteria she plans to use for determining which non-governmental organisations will collaborate with Polaris on providing helpline services for trafficking victims; and if she will make a statement.

Polaris, a US-based Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), is establishing an enhanced UK helpline in collaboration with Unseen, a UK-based NGO. Polaris chose to partner with Unseen based on criteria that it had identified and which reflect its experience of delivering a similar helpline in the US. Polaris and Unseen intend to work closely with other NGOs and law enforcement to ensure that the helpline is as effective as possible in supporting victims and bringing perpetrators to justice. The Government was not involved in the selection process.