Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate her Department has made of the proportion of workers in the nail salon industry who are victims of modern slavery or human trafficking; what data her Department holds on the total number of such victims identified in this sector in the last five years; and what steps she is taking to (a) identify and (b) support victims within this industry.

The Government takes reports of labour exploitation in the beauty sector and nail bars very seriously, and we remain committed to tackling the crime of modern slavery – wherever it occurs.

The Government is establishing the Fair Work Agency, which will bring under one roof multiple agencies and bodies, including the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority, the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate, and HMRC’s National Minimum and Living Wage Team. This will ensure a more cohesive and streamlined response to exploitation across the economy. The Fair Work Agency will have enhanced powers and resources to identify and address labour exploitation more effectively. It will be a strong, recognisable brand so individuals know where to go for help.

We do not currently hold data for the number of victims of modern slavery and human trafficking within the nail salon industry. Nonetheless, we will continue to monitor the sector closely alongside the Director of Labour Market Enforcement, including emerging intelligence and trends, to ensure we target our work effectively.

The National Referral Mechanism is the UK’s framework for identifying and supporting victims of modern slavery and human trafficking. Once identified, victims are entitled to support under the Modern Slavery Victim Care Contract - regardless of their nationality and where their modern slavery experience has occurred, unless the public order or bad faith disqualifications apply.