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Modern Slavery Act 2015 Committee Report

I thank noble Lords for their powerful contributions today, which demonstrate the strength of the continuing cross-party commitment. It has been a very good debate. I thank my noble friend the Minister for his response.

I cannot mention every name in my brief response, partly in the interests of time and partly, if I am honest, because I am still practising this role. However, I was struck by the opening comments of the noble Lord, Lord Randall, that none of us can be confident that the clothes we wear and the food we eat are free of modern slavery, and that makes us complicit. I would add that it makes those of us with some power obligated to do something about it and take action.

Whether it is sexual exploitation, domestic servitude, county lines or labour abuses, and whether that is onshore or offshore, as the noble Baroness, Lady Barker, pointed out, the common thread running through modern slavery is the pursuit of profit for the dehumanisation of people. The noble Lord, Lord Whitty, talked about absolute control. As the noble Lord, Lord Kempsell, reminded us, this is a terrible crime, and it should be tackled as such.

Other noble Lords may not be aware, but my noble friend the Minister has a very long track record in countering racism and fascism and being a champion of workers’ rights. I know that he understands the dangerously corrosive impact of dehumanisation, both on vulnerable individuals and on society as a whole. Many of us have recognised that the Government are already taking steps to tackle extreme exploitation, and we welcome the positive commitment to engage with the committee’s recommendations, including a further meeting. As a trade unionist, sometimes the only outcome of a meeting was to secure another meeting, so I am genuinely taking that as a win. However, I encourage the Minister to relay our concern that, if we are to consign modern slavery to history, in all its vicious varieties, then the Government must go further and faster.

The noble Lord, Lord Smith, talked about how rarely we discuss preventing modern slavery in the first place, missing red flags, and the importance of international co-operation. I think we would all agree that the balance of power has swung too far in favour of modern slavery criminals. To put that right, victims must be empowered, and, as the noble Lord, Lord Whitty, and the noble Baroness, Lady Hamwee, pointed out, the police, the courts, inspectorates and civic society must be properly resourced. As the noble and learned Baroness, Lady Butler-Sloss, stressed, neither should

the Government shy away from updating immigration legislation. On immigration laws, the imperative is clear.

The right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Bristol and the noble Lord, Lord Watson, talked about the importance of strengthening due diligence in supply chains. As a committee, we are keen to see much more ambitious policy on this front.

The Minister should take heart from the appetite for change from our cross-party committee, but I gently forewarn him that we will continue to hold the Government to account on progress. That is the very least that modern slavery victims and survivors deserve.