MSPs today gave their support to the Scottish Government’s Human Trafficking and Exploitation (Scotland) Bill during the Stage 1 debate.

Many MSPs welcomed the victim-focussed nature of the Bill and the Bill’s aim of making Scotland a hostile environment for traffickers.

However, a number of MSPs stressed that there were still areas in which the Bill could be improved.

Greater provisions for child victims were called for, with a number of MSPs particularly proposing a new clause to guarantee access to specialist guardians to support and guide child victims through the complex array of processes that they face.

Other speakers called for clarifications of the definitions of the offences and for the addition of a statutory defence to prevent the victims being convicted of crimes they have committed as a consequence of being trafficked.

Several MSPs also called for the Bill to include measures to address the demand for trafficking by criminalising the purchase of sexual services. Not presently included in the Bill, this measure was recommended by a number of groups who submitted evidence to the Justice Committee consideration of the Bill prior to today’s debate.

The Scottish Government has already indicated that it will bring forward some clarifying amendments at Stage 2 and in the light of today’s debate it is likely that further amendments, whether from the Government or individual MSPs will be debated when the Bill next comes before the Parliament and the Justice Committee.

The Scottish Bill is a great opportunity to establish a strong foundation for anti-trafficking efforts into the future. The Bill has many good provisions but there is still room for improvement. It was heartening to hear MSPs raising some of these matters in today’s debate.