Oral question asked in the House of Lords, by Lord Judd (Labour). It was answered by Lord Bassam of Brighton (Labour) on Tuesday, 4 December 2007.

People Trafficking: Council of Europe Convention

Question: What is their target date for the ratification of the Council of Europe convention on human trafficking; and what progress has been made on their action plan.

Answer: My Lords, perhaps I should explain and share my disappointment with the House that my noble friend Lord West is not able to answer this Question this afternoon. Unfortunately, he has been detained due to a fatality on a train in front of his own while returning to London from a ministerial visit. We will ratify the convention as soon as we can as part of our wider strategy to combat this horrific crime. That will take time because of our legal system. Unlike in some countries, there must be full compliance with the convention before ratification. We continue to make progress on all areas outlined in our action plan, most notably in relation to enforcement issues, which has helped to secure 67 convictions to date.

Secondary information

Type: Oral question
Reference: 696 c1603
Session: 2007-08
Oral question type: Lead
Chamber / Committee: House of Lords chamber
Subjects: Human trafficking Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings
Link: View this Oral question on www.publications.parliament.uk