The Government is committed to tackling all forms of modern slavery and through the Modern Slavery Act 2015, we have given law enforcement agencies the tools to tackle modern slavery, including maximum life sentences for perpetrators and enhanced protection for victims. Modern slavery is a complex crime that requires an end-to-end response both nationally and internationally – and that is why we are investing in a multi-agency approach across a range of activities, which include:

• Setting up a Modern Slavery Fund in 2016 to reduce modern slavery in the UK and overseas. Between 2016 and March 2022, £32.6m of Official Development Assistance has been invested, including in projects to strengthen law enforcement responses; protect victims from re-trafficking; and prevent people from being trafficked from countries where high numbers of people are trafficked to the UK;
• Introducing, in 2016, tools to tackle businesses who repeatedly or recklessly commit labour market offences and expanding the role and remit of the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority in 2017, giving specially trained officers new police powers to prevent, detect and investigate serious labour exploitation across the entire economy. The Government spends £33 million a year on state enforcement of employment rights;
• Supporting the police to improve the national response to modern slavery and organised immigration crime through £16.5m of funding since 2016, to the Modern Slavery and Organised Immigration Crime Unit to provide a bespoke intelligence hub, improved training and regional operational coordinators to support individual police forces;
• Cracking down on county lines gangs who are exploiting children. This includes up to £5m to fund specialist support provided by Catch22 for under 25s who are criminally exploited and trafficked through county lines in specific areas;
• Investing in research into what works to prevent slavery, as well as assessing risks of modern slavery in policy development, to ensure that opportunities for exploitation are minimised; and
• Designing the Immigration Rules governing our Overseas Domestic Worker route to prevent the importation of exploitative practices to the UK.

We are unable to comment on individual cases.

The GB-wide Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme (the Scheme) provides state-funded compensation to victims of violent crime who may be unable to access compensation from other routes. Payments are available for physical or psychological injuries resulting directly from a crime of violence. Compensation under the Scheme is not dependent on the conviction of the perpetrator, and is separate to any order made by the sentencing court.

Victims of modern slavery who have been conclusively identified as such (through the National Referral Mechanism) may be eligible for compensation under the Scheme regardless of residence status or nationality, subject to wider eligibility criteria. The crime committed must constitute a crime of violence as defined under Annex B of the Scheme. Victims are compensated for the injuries they have sustained rather than the nature of the incident (with the exception of sexual assault or abuse). The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority which operates the Scheme does not hold data on compensation awarded to victims of modern slavery.

The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 provides police forces and other enforcement agencies with the statutory framework to recover the proceeds of crime from criminals and those engaged in unlawful conduct. This includes powers which allow courts to confiscate the proceeds of crime following a criminal conviction. A court imposing a Confiscation Order can also order an offender to pay compensation to the victim of their crime. If the offender does not have the means to satisfy both a Confiscation Order and a Compensation Order, the court can order that the Compensation Order be paid from the sums recovered as part of the Confiscation Order.

Data is not held on compensation paid to victims from modern slavery related asset recoveries.

Within the Nationality and Borders Bill, we are proposing modern slavery measures to deliver a decision-making process and support system that is fair and provides support for those who genuinely need it.

We recognise that some victims of modern slavery may have had periods of high vulnerability and can have multiple, complex needs, with some individuals experiencing multiple forms of exploitation at different points in time. The proposed measures within the Bill therefore rightly allow for protection and support for individuals subject to repeated exploitation, including child victims whilst seeking to ensure that further support is only provided where needed.

We remain committed to tackling exploitation in all its forms. The Modern Slavery Act 2015 gives law enforcement agencies the tools to tackle modern slavery, including a maximum life sentence for perpetrators and enhanced protection for victims. Where children are found to be potential victims of human trafficking or modern slavery their safety and welfare are addressed as a priority. Local authorities are responsible for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children in their area, including child victims of modern slavery. In addition to this statutory support, the Government has rolled out Independent Child Trafficking Guardians (ICTGs), an additional source of advice and support for all potentially trafficked children, in two thirds of all local authorities in England and Wales.

We will seek to put into legislation for the first time the commitment that all confirmed victims, including children, without immigration status will be considered for a grant of temporary leave to remain in line with specific criteria.

This will bring clarity to decision makers and victims on the process for temporary leave to remain. We will continue to comply with our duties under Section 55 of the Borders, Citizenship, and Immigration Act 2009 to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.