Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions ministers have had, if any, with European Cargo about undertaking due diligence and screening the company's cargo on routes from Urumqi to Cardiff International Airport and Bournemouth Airport.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
Border Force does not routinely assess whether goods on freight entering the UK may have been made using forced labour, but we work closely with law enforcement partners to share intelligence to ensure all goods abide by customs and excise rules.
The Government encourages businesses to monitor their global supply chains with rigour, uncover and remedy any instances of modern slavery they may find. Under Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015, commercial businesses who operate in the UK and have a turnover of £36 million or more must report annually on the steps they have taken to prevent modern slavery in their operations and supply chains by publishing an annual modern slavery statement.
The Home Office is currently working with a wide group of stakeholders to update the Section 54 statutory guidance. This will further support businesses to produce high quality statements, which are underpinned by effective measures to prevent and effectively respond to instances of modern slavery in supply chains.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many cargo flights from Urumqi in China to Cardiff International Airport have been searched by UK border officials to ensure they are not carrying goods made by Uyghur forced labour.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
Border Force does not routinely assess whether goods on freight entering the UK may have been made using forced labour, but we work closely with law enforcement partners to share intelligence to ensure all goods abide by customs and excise rules.
The Government encourages businesses to monitor their global supply chains with rigour, uncover and remedy any instances of modern slavery they may find. Under Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015, commercial businesses who operate in the UK and have a turnover of £36 million or more must report annually on the steps they have taken to prevent modern slavery in their operations and supply chains by publishing an annual modern slavery statement.
The Home Office is currently working with a wide group of stakeholders to update the Section 54 statutory guidance. This will further support businesses to produce high quality statements, which are underpinned by effective measures to prevent and effectively respond to instances of modern slavery in supply chains.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the implications of the Electronic Travel Authorisation for British National (Overseas) passport holders who may urgently need to leave Hong Kong.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
Electronic travel authorisations (ETAs) were expanded to all eligible non-European nationalities on 27 November, and will be a requirement for travel to the UK from 8 January. ETAs have been introduced to strengthen the UK’s border security and help prevent the arrival of those who present a threat to the UK.
The application is quick and light-touch, and many applications are decided within minutes.
Individuals who already have a UK immigration status, including a British National (Overseas) (BN(O)) visa, will not need to obtain an ETA to travel to the UK.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to designating China as a specific foreign power in the enhanced tier of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government is working at pace to implement the scheme. All further announcements will be made in the normal way in due course. We have recruited a case management team and are developing the IT arrangements. We expect the scheme to commence 2025. It would not be appropriate to comment on the scope of any specifications under the enhanced tier at this stage. The proposed foreign entities to be included on the enhanced tier will be subject to formal debate and agreement by both Houses of Parliament in due course.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, following the publication on 10 November of the story of the Uyghur refugee Hasan Imam in The New York Times, what assessment they have made of the risk that Uyghurs in the UK may be subjected to transnational repression by the government of China.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
Security is the first duty of this Government.
This Government is completely committed to responding to foreign interference, including those actions which amount to transnational repression. Home Office officials work closely with operational partners, the FCDO and other departments to review the threat picture and determine how best to respond.
We continually assess potential threats in the UK, and take protection of individuals’ rights, freedoms, and safety in the UK very seriously. Any attempt by any foreign power to intimidate, harass or harm individuals in the UK will not be tolerated and will be thoroughly investigated.
Anyone who thinks they might be a victim should report incidents or suspicious activity to the Police.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have offered to receive any Uyghur refugees held in detention centres in other countries or facing repatriation to China.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The United Kingdom will always take seriously our responsibility, alongside others, to help those fleeing war and persecution. Under the UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS), the UK relies upon referrals from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
UNHCR has the global mandate to provide international protection and humanitarian assistance to refugees. UNHCR refer individuals for resettlement in accordance with their standard resettlement submission criteria, which are based on an assessment of protection needs and vulnerabilities. The UK does not seek to influence the cases that the UNHCR refers.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government to what extent they take account of the resolution of the House of Commons of 22 April 2021 declaring Uyghur Muslims to be subjected to a genocide in Xinjiang when determining their policy with regard to refugee status.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
All asylum and human rights claims are carefully considered on their individual merits in accordance with our international obligations. Each individual assessment is made against the background of any relevant caselaw and the latest available country information. Our position on the Uyghurs in China is set out in the relevant country policy and information note on the gov.uk website.
When someone establishes a well-founded fear of persecution or serious harm in their country, they are normally granted protection and are not expected to return there.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hanson of Flint on 22 October (HL1356), what assessment they have made of the likelihood of goods made by Uyghur forced labour entering the UK via cargo planes flying from Urumqi in Xinjiang to Bournemouth.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
While Border Force does not routinely assess whether goods on freight entering the UK may have been made using forced labour, we work closely with law enforcement partners to share intelligence to ensure all goods abide by customs and excise rules.
The Government encourages businesses to monitor their global supply chains with rigour, uncover and remedy any instances of modern slavery they may find. Under Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015, commercial businesses who operate in the UK and have a turnover of £36 million or more must report annually on the steps they have taken to prevent modern slavery in their operations and supply chains by publishing an annual modern slavery statement.
The Home Office is currently working with a wide group of stakeholders to update the Section 54 statutory guidance. This will further support businesses to produce high quality statements, which are underpinned by effective measures to prevent and effectively respond to instances of modern slavery in supply chains.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Centre for Social Justice and Justice report, At what cost? Exploring the impact of forced labour in the UK; and how they intend to (1) address its four central findings, and (2) respond to its recommendations.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government welcomes the Centre for Social Justice report, which provides valuable insights and recommendations on improving the UK’s response to forced labour. We remain committed to strengthening our response to modern slavery and are working in partnership with a wide range of stakeholders to tackle forced labour in the UK.
The Government is establishing the Fair Work Agency (FWA), a single enforcement body dedicated to ensuring compliance and protecting vulnerable workers from exploitation. The FWA will provide a single point of contact for reporting labour exploitation and related concerns, allowing for a more coordinated and comprehensive response to exploitation and abuse. The FWA will be adequately resourced, with powers to proactively investigate and enforce compliance with labour laws.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the recent BBC documentary, “Slavery on the High Street”, which highlighted the plight of victims forced into modern slavery in a Cambridgeshire McDonald’s restaurant and in a London bakery supplying leading supermarkets, and how those exploiting them pocketed their wages.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
This government is deeply concerned about the rise in forced labour cases in the UK.
We are committed to tackling modern slavery, ensuring that victims are provided with the support they need to begin rebuilding their lives and that those responsible are prosecuted and brought to justice.
It is crucial that businesses play their part in addressing modern slavery risks within their operations and supply chains. Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 established a requirement for businesses to report on how they are tackling modern slavery in their organisation and supply chains. It is more important than ever for businesses to step up and take responsibility for conditions in their operations and supply chains. I expect businesses in the UK to be world leaders in this regard.
The Home Office is currently working with a wide group of stakeholders from business, academia and civil society to update the Section 54 statutory guidance. This will further support businesses to produce high quality statements, which are underpinned by effective measures to prevent and effectively respond to instances of modern slavery in supply chains.