Asked by: Siobhain McDonagh (Labour - Mitcham and Morden)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 7 December 2018 to Question 196680 on Human trafficking: victim support schemes, whether there will be a public consultation on any future decisions on subsistence rates paid to people supported through the Victim Care Contract.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
Government is committed to ensuring that potential victims of modern slavery receive the right amount of financial and material support to meet their needs during their reflection and recovery period.
There are no current plans to do a public consultation on the future subsistence rates.
Asked by: Alex Norris (Labour (Co-op) - Nottingham North)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer on 3 December 2018 to Question 196808 on Human Trafficking: Victim Support Schemes, if he will conduct a public consultation on the adequacy of guidance to be issued under Section 49 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The Government recognises the importance of publishing guidance under Section 49 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 on the identification of and sup-port for potential victims of modern slavery.
There is no duty to consult on the s49 statutory guidance, and as such, there are no plans for a public consultation at this time. However, the Home Office began working closely with stakeholders across the sector to draft guidance shortly after commencement of the Act. This work was paused to accommo-date changes to identification and support as part of the reforms to the Na-tional Referral Mechanism. Work on the guidance has resumed and we will publish it as soon as we are able.
Asked by: Siobhain McDonagh (Labour - Mitcham and Morden)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he plans to provide additional funding to ensure the 2020 modern slavery victim care contract complies with the Human Trafficking Foundation's slavery and trafficking survivor care standards.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The Government is committed to introducing minimum standards of care in the new victim care contract.
These standards will be monitored using an inspection regime, based on the Human Trafficking Foundation’s Slavery and Trafficking Survivor Care Standards. The tender of the new contract will include the standards and any costs associated will be incorporated as part of the contact procurement process.
Asked by: Alex Norris (Labour (Co-op) - Nottingham North)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether (a) the main contractor and (b) any sub-contractors of the Victim Care Contract for victims of modern slavery have signed a non-disclosure agreement.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
There are no non-disclosure agreements within the current Victim Care Contract, the prime contractor and sub-contractors are subject to the standard commercial confidentiality clauses within the Contract.
The Home Office is using non-disclosure agreements, specifically in the pre-procurement, early market engagement phase for the procurement of the new Contract in order to facilitate commercial discussions.
Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the cost of providing weekly drop-in support services for victims of modern slavery.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The recent announcements on National Referral Mechanism (NRM) reform indicate the Government’s commitment to markedly improve the identification of, and support provided to, victims of modern slavery. This includes the provision of ‘drop in’ services for all confirmed victims for up to 6 months after leaving support to aid the transition, provided by The Salvation Army.
The Government also announced its intention to invoke Section 50 of the Modern Slavery Act, setting out in regulation the support that victims are entitled to and to launch a consultation in the preparation of statutory guidance, under Section 49 of the Modern Slavery Act, on identification and support for victims of slavery;
Detailed implementation plans for the reform programme are currently being developed which will identify likely timescales for each of the reform measures and the relevant cost implications will be factored into our routine financial planning process.
Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the timetable is for the introduction of weekly drop-in support services for victims of modern slavery.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
The recent announcements on National Referral Mechanism (NRM) reform indicate the Government’s commitment to markedly improve the identification of, and support provided to, victims of modern slavery. This includes the provision of ‘drop in’ services for all confirmed victims for up to 6 months after leaving support to aid the transition, provided by The Salvation Army.
The Government also announced its intention to invoke Section 50 of the Modern Slavery Act, setting out in regulation the support that victims are entitled to and to launch a consultation in the preparation of statutory guidance, under Section 49 of the Modern Slavery Act, on identification and support for victims of slavery;
Detailed implementation plans for the reform programme are currently being developed which will identify likely timescales for each of the reform measures and the relevant cost implications will be factored into our routine financial planning process.
Asked by: Carolyn Harris (Labour - Swansea East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when guidance on victim identification and support provided for in section 49 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 will be (a) completed and (b) published.
Answered by Sarah Newton
The UK Government has committed to reforming the National Referral Mechanism, which is the process for identifying and supporting victims of modern slavery. Interim guidance for frontline staff has been published and we will consult with stakeholders on the statutory guidance required under section 49 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 prior to publication.
Asked by: David Burrowes (Conservative - Enfield, Southgate)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she plans to take in response to the letter of 10 January 2017 from the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner on identifying, referring and supporting victims of modern slavery in the UK's National Referral Mechanism.
Answered by Sarah Newton
We are reviewing the identification of and support provided to victims of modern slavery and are piloting a new National Referral Mechanism model. The pilot is due to end on 31 March and will be fully evaluated. The Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner’s letter will be considered alongside the full evaluation of the pilot.
Asked by: Lord Storey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to publish a strategic plan and five-year road map for the implementation of the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative, and if so, when.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The Government is considering the recommendation in the House of Lords Select Committee Report on Sexual Violence that it develops a strategic plan and roadmap. The Government will respond in full to the Select Committee Report on 13 June. The Government will continue to update Parliament on the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative through the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s annual Human Rights Report. The Government also plans to provide regular briefings and updates to the recently formed All-Party Parliamentary Group on Sexual Violence in Conflict. In addition, the Government keeps all those interested in this important work up-to-date on progress via social and other forms of media.
Asked by: Sadiq Khan (Labour - Tooting)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisons had operative libraries in each of the last five years.
Answered by Jeremy Wright
Prisoners in all prisons in England and Wales have access to libraries and have had access in each of the last five years.
Prison Service Instruction 45/2011 requires every prison to provide a library; to allow every prisoner to borrow and exchange library books; and to ensure that prisoners have access to mandatory publications.