Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many victims of human trafficking were (a) identified and (b) offered support by her Department in each year since 2010; and if she will make a statement.

Potential victims of human trafficking are identified through the National Referral Mechanism (NRM). The number of potential victims referred into the NRM for the United Kingdom is: in 2010 – 714; in 2011 – 946; in 2012 – 1186; in 2013 – 1746; and in 2014 – 2340.

The Salvation Army has provided support for potential victims in England and Wales since July 2011. The Salvation Army contract is jointly funded by the Home Office and The Ministry of Justice. The number of potential victims in support in England and Wales is: July 2011 to June 2012 – total in support 378; July 2012 to June 2013 – total in support 550; July 2013 to June 2014 – total in support 889. Data on the number of potential victims in support between July 2014 to June 2015 has not been verified yet.

Data on the number of potential victims in support before July 2011 is not available. The Home Office does not hold data on the number of supported victims in Scotland and Northern Ireland, as this is a devolved matter.