Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Review of the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) for victims of human trafficking, published in November 2014, whether her Department plans to increase the exit times from support for people going through the NRM for victims of slavery and human trafficking to (a) 14 days for reasonable grounds decision and (b) 28 days for a conclusive grounds decision.

We are committed to doing all we can to identify and support UK-based victims of modern slavery. Following a review of the NRM, and in consultation with law enforcement and NGOs, we are piloting ways of improving the efficacy and efficiency of existing arrangements in two regions. The pilot will be evaluated and the findings will inform any reforms that we decide to roll out. Putting the NRM on a statutory footing would require secondary legislation and we will consider whether there is a need do so at the end of the pilot.