North Swindon MP, Justin Tomlinson, has praised the Government’s efforts to tackle modern day slavery.
Justin used Anti-Slavery Day to highlight the devastating effects modern day slavery has on victims and highlighted the work the Government has been doing to combat it.
The Prime Minister has announced that Britain will train new specialist investigators and frontline police officers, and will develop the expertise of prosecutors so that they can better handle complex cases and support traumatised victims.
The announcements follow the Modern Slavery Act 2015, introduced by Theresa May when she was Home Secretary, which seeks to:
- consolidate and simplify existing offences into a single act
- ensure that perpetrators receive suitably severe punishments for modern slavery crimes (including life sentences)
- enhance the court’s ability to put restrictions on individuals where it’s necessary to protect people from the harm caused by modern slavery offences
- create an independent anti-slavery commissioner to improve and better coordinate the response to modern slavery
- introduce a defence for victims of slavery and trafficking
- place a duty on the secretary of state to produce statutory guidance on victim identification and victim services
- enable the secretary of state to make regulations relating to the identification of and support for victims
- make provision for independent child trafficking advocates
- introduce a new reparation order to encourage the courts to compensate victims where assets are confiscated from perpetrators
- enable law enforcement to stop boats where slaves are suspected of being held or trafficked
- require businesses over a certain size to disclose each year what action they have taken to ensure there is no modern slavery in their business or supply chains
Justin Tomlinson MP said: “Modern day slavery is a terrible crime which targets some of the most vulnerable people in our society. The effect on its victims is devastating, and it is vital that we work together to end it. Theresa May, as Prime Minister and Home Secretary, has made combating modern day slavery a top priority. The 2015 Modern Slavery Act was the first legislation of its kind in Europe and showed her commitment to leading the way in the fight against modern day slavery."
For more information or to report a case of modern slavery please call the helpline 0800 0121 700 or report it online via https://www.modernslaveryhelpline.org/report
