Asked by: Baroness Doocey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to increasing the period of validity for Tier 5 (Youth Mobility Scheme) visas from two to four years, or for providing for the possibility of an extension.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
Tier 5 Youth Mobility Schemes provide a cultural exchange programme that allows young people aged 18 to 30 from participating countries and territories to experience life in the UK for up to two years.
We are not proposing to increase the validity of Leave to Remain under the Tier 5 Youth Mobility Scheme.
Asked by: Baroness Doocey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the prevalence of breast ironing in the UK.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
Breast ironing is child abuse and it is illegal. The Government is committed to challenging the cultural attitudes that underpin so called ‘honour-based’ abuse (HBA), as set out in our cross-Government Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy, published in 2016.
The Government is committed to ensuring that front-line practitioners who may encounter women and girls who are at risk of, or who have undergone, breast ironing, are aware of this issue and have the confidence to tackle it.
Border Force Officers at UK ports and airports are trained to look for those at risk of HBA and conduct regular joint operations (‘Operation Limelight’) with the police at airports across the country to raise awareness with poten-tial victims of HBA, including breast ironing. A specific briefing on breast ironing has also been shared with regional Border Force Safeguarding and Modern Slavery leads.
In addition, the following documents provide advice and support for profes-sionals in respect of safeguarding children from abuse, including HBA:
• Keeping Children Safe in Education (p.80-82): https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-children-safe-in-education--2
• Working Together to Safeguard Children: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/working-together-to-safeguard-children--2
• CPS Legal Guidance on Honour-Based Violence and Forced Marriage: https://www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/honour-based-violence-and-forced-marriage
The police have a range of offences at their disposal to deal with any cases of breast ironing they encounter, including common assault, actual bodily harm and grievous bodily harm. There are also specific offences of child cruelty and causing or allowing a child to suffer serious physical harm, both of which carry a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment. As such, the Government does not have plans to introduce a stand-alone criminal offence.
No assessments have been made of the prevalence of breast ironing in the UK.
Asked by: Baroness Doocey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce legislation that will make the practice of breast ironing a stand-alone criminal offence; and if so, when they will introduce such legislation.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
Breast ironing is child abuse and it is illegal. The Government is committed to challenging the cultural attitudes that underpin so called ‘honour-based’ abuse (HBA), as set out in our cross-Government Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy, published in 2016.
The Government is committed to ensuring that front-line practitioners who may encounter women and girls who are at risk of, or who have undergone, breast ironing, are aware of this issue and have the confidence to tackle it.
Border Force Officers at UK ports and airports are trained to look for those at risk of HBA and conduct regular joint operations (‘Operation Limelight’) with the police at airports across the country to raise awareness with poten-tial victims of HBA, including breast ironing. A specific briefing on breast ironing has also been shared with regional Border Force Safeguarding and Modern Slavery leads.
In addition, the following documents provide advice and support for profes-sionals in respect of safeguarding children from abuse, including HBA:
• Keeping Children Safe in Education (p.80-82): https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-children-safe-in-education--2
• Working Together to Safeguard Children: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/working-together-to-safeguard-children--2
• CPS Legal Guidance on Honour-Based Violence and Forced Marriage: https://www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/honour-based-violence-and-forced-marriage
The police have a range of offences at their disposal to deal with any cases of breast ironing they encounter, including common assault, actual bodily harm and grievous bodily harm. There are also specific offences of child cruelty and causing or allowing a child to suffer serious physical harm, both of which carry a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment. As such, the Government does not have plans to introduce a stand-alone criminal offence.
No assessments have been made of the prevalence of breast ironing in the UK.
Asked by: Baroness Doocey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to ensure police and frontline staff are (1) aware of, and (2) trained in dealing with the practice of breast ironing in the UK.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
Breast ironing is child abuse and it is illegal. The Government is committed to challenging the cultural attitudes that underpin so called ‘honour-based’ abuse (HBA), as set out in our cross-Government Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy, published in 2016.
The Government is committed to ensuring that front-line practitioners who may encounter women and girls who are at risk of, or who have undergone, breast ironing, are aware of this issue and have the confidence to tackle it.
Border Force Officers at UK ports and airports are trained to look for those at risk of HBA and conduct regular joint operations (‘Operation Limelight’) with the police at airports across the country to raise awareness with poten-tial victims of HBA, including breast ironing. A specific briefing on breast ironing has also been shared with regional Border Force Safeguarding and Modern Slavery leads.
In addition, the following documents provide advice and support for profes-sionals in respect of safeguarding children from abuse, including HBA:
• Keeping Children Safe in Education (p.80-82): https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-children-safe-in-education--2
• Working Together to Safeguard Children: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/working-together-to-safeguard-children--2
• CPS Legal Guidance on Honour-Based Violence and Forced Marriage: https://www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/honour-based-violence-and-forced-marriage
The police have a range of offences at their disposal to deal with any cases of breast ironing they encounter, including common assault, actual bodily harm and grievous bodily harm. There are also specific offences of child cruelty and causing or allowing a child to suffer serious physical harm, both of which carry a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment. As such, the Government does not have plans to introduce a stand-alone criminal offence.
No assessments have been made of the prevalence of breast ironing in the UK.
Asked by: Baroness Doocey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have assessed the possible impact on the independence of the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner of the requirement that the Commissioner undertake annual performance appraisals with the Home Office Director of Tackling Slavery and Exploitation.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
It is usual for public appointees to take part in an appraisal or performance assessment process in line with the Cabinet Office Code for public appointments.
The requirement to do so does not compromise their ability to carry out their roles independently. We will consider the recommendations of the Independent Review of the Modern Slavery Act on the role of the independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner (IASC) and will work with the new post holder to take forward relevant recommendations.
Asked by: Baroness Doocey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government why the recruitment process of the new Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner (IASC) began before the independent review of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 could provide its recommendations on the IASC.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The recruitment process for the new Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner (IASC) commenced in June 2018, following the resignation of the previous IASC in May. This was before the announcement of the Independent Review of the Modern Slavery Act (MSA) on 31st July.
The reviewers published an interim report on the findings on the IASC in December 2018, which included a recommendation to pause the recruitment. Given the critical nature of the role the Home Secretary decided to proceed with the appointment process and to work with the new post holder to take forward relevant recommendations
Asked by: Baroness Doocey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what information they hold on the number of children recruited as covert human intelligence sources in county line crimes since the passing of the Modern Slavery Act 2015.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The Home Office does not collect these statistics.
Covert human intelligence sources in county line crimes is an operational matter and it would not be appropriate for law enforcement to disclose information around the numbers and or age demographics of covert human intelligence sources
Asked by: Baroness Doocey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made in the last six months of the causes behind child victims of trafficking going missing shortly after the point of referral to the National Referral Mechanism.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The unaccompanied asylum seeking (UASC) Safeguarding Strategy, published in November 2017, included a commitment to pilot a standardised process for police when they first encounter an unaccompanied child, to inform effective practice in preventing UASC from going missing. Hertfordshire Police successfully implemented their First Encounter Pilot which has reduced missing incidents of the children it identified. It is now available to all forces nationally; to date 12 forces have begun implementing the process.
We are working to deliver a National Register of Missing Persons (NRMP) and for it to be in operation in 2020/2021. The Home Office is working to update the Government’s Missing Children and Adults Strategy, which was published in 2011. The refreshed strategy will be accompanied by an implementation plan that will include an action to deliver the NRMP.
On 16 January 2017, the Home Secretary announced £2.2m from the Child Trafficking Protection Fund. This has been awarded to seven organisations to protect vulnerable children in the UK and overseas who are at risk of trafficking.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) regularly publishes National Referral Mechanism (NRM) data but does not publish data about the number, proportion and referrals that have been made to the National Referral Mechanism as result of gang involvement. Latest statistics on NRM referrals and decisions are available at the following link:
Further information is also available in the 2018 UK Annual Report on Modern Slavery which was published on 18 October 2018.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/2018-uk-annual-report-on-modern-slavery
Asked by: Baroness Doocey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Crime, Safeguarding and Vulnerability on 20 November (187328), why they do not publish data on the number and proportion of successful referrals that have been made to the National Referral Mechanism as a result of gang involvement.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The unaccompanied asylum seeking (UASC) Safeguarding Strategy, published in November 2017, included a commitment to pilot a standardised process for police when they first encounter an unaccompanied child, to inform effective practice in preventing UASC from going missing. Hertfordshire Police successfully implemented their First Encounter Pilot which has reduced missing incidents of the children it identified. It is now available to all forces nationally; to date 12 forces have begun implementing the process.
We are working to deliver a National Register of Missing Persons (NRMP) and for it to be in operation in 2020/2021. The Home Office is working to update the Government’s Missing Children and Adults Strategy, which was published in 2011. The refreshed strategy will be accompanied by an implementation plan that will include an action to deliver the NRMP.
On 16 January 2017, the Home Secretary announced £2.2m from the Child Trafficking Protection Fund. This has been awarded to seven organisations to protect vulnerable children in the UK and overseas who are at risk of trafficking.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) regularly publishes National Referral Mechanism (NRM) data but does not publish data about the number, proportion and referrals that have been made to the National Referral Mechanism as result of gang involvement. Latest statistics on NRM referrals and decisions are available at the following link:
Further information is also available in the 2018 UK Annual Report on Modern Slavery which was published on 18 October 2018.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/2018-uk-annual-report-on-modern-slavery
Asked by: Baroness Doocey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the (1) longest, (2) shortest, and (3) average waiting time for victims of child trafficking to receive positive conclusive grounds decisions from the National Referral Mechanism for each year since the Modern Slavery Act 2015 came into force.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The National Crime Agency (NCA) regularly publishes National Referral Mechanism (NRM) data. It does not publish data about the time taken for victims of child trafficking to receive positive conclusive grounds decisions for each year since the Modern Slavery Act 2015 came into force. Latest statistics on NRM referrals and decisions are available at the following link:
Further information is also available in the 2018 UK Annual Report on Modern Slavery which was published on 18 October 2018.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/2018-uk-annual-report-on-modern-slavery