Data on the number of persons identified as victims of human trafficking who have been returned to their home country by Refugee Action is not collated centrally. The information could only be provided by examination of individual records at disproportionate cost.

The Home Office publishes immigration statistics annually and quarterly, which are available from the Home Office Research and Statistics website. This includes information on assisted voluntary returns by nationality. The latest statistics can be found in the Library of the House as well as on the following website:

http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/science-research-statistics/research-statistics/immigration-asylum-research/immigration-q2-2012/

Refugee Action administers, on behalf of the UK Border Agency, an Assisted Voluntary Return (AVR) scheme which if certain criteria is met can be provided to victims of human trafficking. AVR refers to programmes that are available to those who do not have a permanent right to remain in the UK and wish to return permanently to their country of origin (or, where permanently admissible, to a third country). There are three AVR programmes each offering slightly different levels of reintegration support.

1. The Assisted Voluntary Return of Illegal Migrants (AVRIM) programme, designed for individuals who have not made an application for asylum.

2. The Voluntary Assisted Return and Reintegration programme (VARRP), for those who have made an asylum application.

3. The Assisted Voluntary Return for Families and Children programme (AVRFC) for families and children regardless of whether they are asylum or non-asylum cases.

Full details on eligibility and the levels of support are available from the UKBA website at:

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/aboutus/workingwithus/workingwithasylum/assistedvoluntaryreturn/