CARE warns Govt overlooking impact of small boats plans on modern slavery victims

Campaigners have criticised the government for failing to consider how its small boats bill will impact victims of modern slavery.

In what has been described as a “stark omission”, a newly published impact assessment for the Illegal Migration Bill contains no consideration of this issue.

This is despite the fact the legislation contains several controversial provisions pertaining to modern slavery and human trafficking.

These are designed to prevent people who are victims of crime but have entered the UK illegally from accessing legal and practical support as modern slavery victims.

Dr Rebecca Stevenson, a Policy Officer at CARE, a charity that has successfully campaigned for greater victim protections across the UK, commented:

“The government has provided no assessment of how many modern slavery victims will be affected by its plans, nor does it address the impact on the welfare of victims, including the impact of potentially being relocated to Rwanda. The US State Department has raised concerns that Rwanda is not meeting international standards when it comes to providing support to victims.

“Strikingly, the government’s economic impact assessment contains no mention of the cost implications of not providing support to modern slavery victims. This is a stark omission, and some may ask whether it is a deliberate attempt to gloss over a highly contentious aspect of the legislation. There is also no consideration of the bill’s impact on modern slavery prosecutions.”

Commenting on the potential effects of the bill on victims, Dr Stevenson added:

“The Illegal Migration Bill would penalise genuine victims of modern slavery, who may be in the UK without their consent. They will continue to be identified as victims of modern slavery but receive none of the safeguarding protections currently available, other than in very exceptional circumstances when they are helping the police or prosecutors.

“Victims would longer be entitled to the support they need, nor will their evidence be available for prosecutions. Without support and stability, vulnerable individuals will be returned straight back into situations of abuse. While some victims might be willing to help the police, evidence suggests it is only after victims feel safe and stable that they will do so. If that support is not available, it is less likely victims will be able to support prosecutions and therefore vital evidence is lost.

“The small boats bill fails to meet the UK’s international obligations. The UK is a signatory to the European Convention against Human Trafficking, which specifies mandatory support for victims that UK Ministers intend to deny. We also believe the Bill contravenes ECHR obligations to have ‘a legislative and administrative framework to prevent and punish trafficking and to protect victims’, without derogation from this requirement in a time of emergency.”