CARE joins campaigners calling for delayed modern slavery bill to be added to Queen's Speech
Human Trafficking
CARE today has joined with other anti-trafficking campaigners to call on the UK Government to adopt the Modern Slavery (Victim Support) Bill as part of its post-Covid agenda.
The Free for Good coalition, of which CARE is a part, said that the Government should include the Bill in the upcoming Queens Speech.
Currently, it's thought that a Queens Speech could take place soon after the Commons recess finishes on 12 April, with mid-May being suggested as possible time.
“Lord McColl’s Bill will give confirmed victims of trafficking the chance to receive support in the UK for at least a year helping them to build a stable and safe future. Not only is this the morally right thing to do for people who have been so terribly exploited, it is essential to breaking the cycles of trafficking.
The Modern Slavery (Victim Support) Bill was first introduced by Lord McColl in 2017 and passed the House of Lords with widespread support, but then ran out of time when it was going through the House of Commons.
The current version of the Bill was introduced after the 2019 election but has fallen victim to restrictions on parliamentary time caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Bill would give confirmed victims of modern slavery in England and Wales a guaranteed 12 months of support to help them as they rebuild their lives.
The Free for Good coalition is encouraging people to contact their MPs to ask them to write to the Home Secretary and ask her to commit in the Queen’s Speech to introducing legislation offering all confirmed victims leave to remain for a year after they are confirmed as a victim by the National Referral Mechanism (NRM).
"Long term support is key to preventing victims being re-exploited and enabling them to give evidence against their traffickers. With a new session of parliament on the horizon we are calling on the Government to take this opportunity to commit in the Queen’s Speech to introducing Lord McColl’s Bill, to stop cycles of exploitation and help victims into a better future.”
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CARE joins campaigners calling for delayed modern slavery bill to be added to Queen's Speech