Joint Committee hears evidence on child exploitation offences
5 March 2014
The Joint Committee on the Draft Modern Slavery Bill holds two sessions on Thursday 6 March. Both sessions will take place in Committee Room 2, Palace of Westminster.
- Parliament TV: Draft Modern Slavery Bill Committee evidence session - morning meeting
- Parliament TV: Draft Modern Slavery Bill Committee evidence session - afternoon meeting
- Draft Modern Slavery Bill
In the morning the Committee will hear from the Finnish Ombudsman for Minorities, who also acts as the national rapporteur on trafficking of human beings, on whether the Finnish model has lessons for how the proposed UK Anti-Slavery Commissioner role should be set up.
The afternoon session will be considering looking at the guardianship model for protecting children from trafficking and slavery, and whether the Bill should create separate offences around the exploitation of children.
Witnesses
At 10am
- Eva Biaudet, Finnish Ombudsman (via video conference)
At 2pm
- David Anderson QC, Independent Reviewer of Terrorism
- John Vine, Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration
- Nadine Finch, Barrister
- Chief Inspector Colin Carswell, Metropolitan Police.
- Anthony Douglas, CEO, Cafcass
- Association of Directors of Children’s Services
The Committee has is inquiring into the content and form of the draft Bill, its likely effectiveness and the contribution it would, if enacted, make to tackling modern slavery. Detailed proposals for alternative wording are also welcome.
The draft Bill proposes to consolidate and simplify existing criminal offences relating to slavery and human trafficking and introduce civil orders to restrict the activity of those involved in or convicted of slavery and trafficking offences. The draft Bill also proposes the appointment of an Anti-Slavery Commissioner to encourage good practice in the prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of offences. The draft Bill was published on 16 December 2013 alongside a white paper detailing the Government’s non-legislative approach to modern slavery.
In particular the Committee is examining:
- Would the draft Bill be effective in reducing the incidence of and preventing modern slavery?
- Are there other provisions which should be included in the draft Bill?
- What non-legislative action needs to be taken to ensure effective implementation of the draft Bill?
- Does the draft Bill achieve its objectives effectively and fairly?
- Does the draft Bill provide for adequate safeguarding of survivors of slavery and trafficking?
- How could the proposals for the Anti-Slavery Commissioner be improved?