Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to roll out the independent child trafficking advocate scheme nationally beyond the early adopter sites; what response she has made to the recommendations of the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner that a national roll-out should be implemented before the end of the designated second phase trial period if preliminary evaluations are positive; and when she plans to develop the secondary legislation and statutory guidance accompanying that section.

As the previous Minister for Preventing Abuse, Exploitation and Crime set out in June 2016, the Government intends to roll out independent child trafficking advocates nationally as soon as the procedures for Parliamentary commencement and the introduction of statutory guidance secondary legislation are completed. We will consider carefully the evaluation of the early adopter sites which will assist us in ensuring the secondary legislation and statutory guidance provide for the most effective model to be rolled out.