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Forced Marriage

Answer

The UK is a world-leader in the fight to tackle the brutal practice of forced marriage, with our joint Home Office and Foreign and Commonwealth Office Forced Marriage Unit (FMU) which leads efforts to combat it both at home and abroad. After careful consideration, the Foreign Secretary has decided that victims of forced marriage who are helped to return to the UK by the Forced Marriage Unit will no longer be asked to take out a loan for their repatriation costs. From now on, none of those who are assisted by the Forced Marriage Unit - and would previously have been offered a loan - will have to cover the costs of their repatriation. Where possible, the Government will continue to seek to ensure the costs fall on the perpetrators by means of Forced Marriage Protection Orders (FMPOs). The Government has also agreed to ensure that those victims who have outstanding loans will have no further cost fall to them. We are in the process of contacting those victims to notify them of this change. Their passports will also be unblocked.

The FMU provides support and advice for victims, those at risk, and professionals, through its public helpline. The support offered ranges from providing information and guidance to organising rescue and repatriation to the UK for victims overseas.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

HL12565

Session

2017-19

Grouped for answer

Yes

Subjects

Debts Fees and charges Forced marriage Passports Victims Repatriation

Link

View this Written question on www.parliament.uk