Written question asked by James Brokenshire (Conservative) on Wednesday, 27 February 2008, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Friday, 29 February 2008. It was answered by Lord Coaker (Labour) on Tuesday, 25 March 2008 on behalf of the Home Office.

Human Trafficking: Children

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many trafficked children were taken into police custody following raids on illegal cannabis factories in each of the last three years.

Answer: No central records are kept on juvenile offenders who may have been victims of trafficking. However concerns have been raised by a number of children's charities about the arrest of children found in cannabis factories in the UK.A recent study by the Child Exploitation Online Protection Centre (CEOP) examined 39 cases of Vietnamese juveniles arrested during 2007 in such circumstances.Out of the 39 children, one child was identified as a trafficked victim and referred to Children's Services.In December 2007 the Crown Prosecution Service issued guidance which advises prosecutors that where children are known to have been trafficked and coerced to commit criminal acts, cases should be discontinued on evidential grounds. Where the information concerning coercion is less certain, further details should be sought from the police and youth offender teams, so that the public interest in continuing a prosecution can be considered carefully.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 474 c72W; 191381
Session: 2007-08
Related items: Human Trafficking: Children
Tuesday, 3 June 2008
Written questions
House of Commons
Subjects: Children Human trafficking
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk