---

Human Trafficking

That has put me in my place. I thank the hon. Lady for telling me that, but it does not alter the need to ask whether the Minister is considering making prostitution or the buying of services illegal in Britain. It is said that 800,000 people are trafficked each year around the world, and that is likely to continue in one form or another for the foreseeable future. All that we can do is to try to reduce it, to punish the traffickers severely and to help genuine victims so that they can embark on a new life. Incidentally, the so-called reflection period of 28 or even 45 days fails to grasp the essential conditions of trafficking. It takes years of support, psychological help and kindness for trafficked people to recover from what has always been an appalling ordeal. Above all, victims need compassion and understanding. As Vicky Quandamatteo, the director-psychologist at the Il Fiore Rome refuge said, anyone who believes that trafficked women can snap out of it and become useful members of society within 28 or 45 days, without a prolonged period of support and help, needs their head examined. Although the Government always mention the sterling work of the POPPY project, it is worth pointing out that as a result of Pentameter 2, POPPY accepted 46 referrals. Where are the other 111 women found under Pentameter 2 now residing? How many of those are receiving the support that they need? How many have already been forcibly removed from the UK? What plans are there to establish more POPPY projects throughout the country? Pentameter 2 is over. Chief Constable Dr. Tim Brain is to be complimented on a highly proficient and professional operation, following, as he did, in the footsteps of Graham Maxwell, who was the mastermind of Pentameter 1. We are fortunate to have police officers of their calibre. Will we now have Pentameter 3, or will the Minister ensure that there is a chief superintendent in every police force who has an ongoing responsibility to outlaw human trafficking? Without the Pentameter initiatives, it is unlikely that we would have known of or found the trafficked victims whom we have found. Those victims were not found only in inner cities. Will the Minister remind hon. Members of how many victims were found outside cities? Besides the 163 brothels that were raided, how many victims were found in the 273 private homes that were raided, and where are those people? In this respect, transparency is crucial. There is too much secrecy. Local communities need to keep a lookout, but they need to know where they are looking. Bringing into the public domain the information that I have described will make the general public more vigilant. They will be alert to the fact that trafficking is a problem that affects many towns and villages throughout the country. I thank Mr. Speaker for offering to be the first president of the all-party group on trafficking of women and children to mark the 200th year of the abolition of the slave trade, and agreeing to host a major reception at the end of October in the Speaker's House. I hope that we can announce that we in Britain are spearheading a new initiative against human trafficking. I hope that with the support of the EU and backed by charitable funds, we can make even more progress in ensuring that this new form of slavery becomes a thing of the past.