Oral Answers to Questions

Baroness Featherstone Excerpts

Thursday 10th March 2011 Commons Chamber

[Stephen Phillips (Sleaford and North Hykeham) (Con)]

1. What discussions she has had with ministerial colleagues on the support available to women trafficked to the UK.

[The Minister for Equalities (Lynne Featherstone)]

The Government are determined to ensure that all identified victims of this terrible crime receive the support to which they are entitled. Ministers work together, including through the interdepartmental group on human trafficking, to ensure that we achieve that objective.

[Stephen Phillips]

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for that answer. Support is absolutely critical for women who have been trafficked. Will she clarify whether the new Home Office policy on human trafficking will include at least a three-month period of support, as recommended by the European Union group of experts on trafficking in human beings in its opinion of 16 April 2004?

[Lynne Featherstone]

The Council of Europe convention, to which we have signed up, sets a minimum of 30 days. I am pleased to reassure my hon. and learned Friend, however, that in this country we have a minimum 45-day extendable recovery period for accommodation, counselling or reintegration if desired.

[Luciana Berger (Liverpool, Wavertree) (Lab/Co-op)]

When will the Government publish their anti-trafficking strategy?

[Lynne Featherstone]

The strategy will be coming forward in the spring.

[Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington) (LD)]

Why was it felt necessary to change the funding arrangements that apply to the support provided to women?

[Lynne Featherstone]

We found that using a single contractor was extremely inflexible and led to a lack of capacity. The lack of bed capacity meant that voluntary organisations were taking in trafficked women and, because they were going all over the place, it was impossible to have proper oversight of all those who needed help and support. For that reason, we have changed the procurement process.

[Mark Durkan (Foyle) (SDLP)]

Women are trafficked not only to the UK but within these islands. Will the Minister and her ministerial colleagues use the auspices of the British-Irish Council to improve support for women who have been trafficked throughout these islands, as well as to improve enforcement?

[Lynne Featherstone]

We are happy to work with all the nations on this serious issue to stop women being trafficked within and without these islands.

[Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough) (Con)]

Will the Minister tell us when spring starts and when it ends?

[Lynne Featherstone]

It is the parliamentary spring, and in this country it is quite difficult to tell, but it will happen in due course.

[Fiona Mactaggart (Slough) (Lab)]

Since my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Camberwell and Peckham (Ms Harman) raised the European directive on human trafficking with the Prime Minister on 15 September, the issue has been raised at least 40 times in this Chamber alone. The final text of the directive was agreed by the European Parliament more than 12 weeks ago. How often do we need to ask the Minister about this? How long does she need before she decides that Britain will sign up to the directive?

[Lynne Featherstone]

We are undertaking proper consideration and discussion with the devolved Administrations, but I can assure the hon. Lady that it will not be that much longer.

[Mark Menzies (Fylde) (Con)]

2. What recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport on discrimination in sport on the grounds of sexual orientation.

[The Minister for Equalities (Lynne Featherstone)]

On 14 February, my right hon. Friend the Minister for Women and Equalities and I hosted a round table on homophobia and transphobia in sport with my hon. Friend the Minister for Sport and the Olympics. This was attended by the national governing bodies of football, rugby union, rugby league, tennis and cricket. The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games and Pride Sports were also in attendance. We believe that everyone should be able to participate in sport and enjoy sport free from discrimination on account of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

[Mark Menzies]

We have recently seen positive role models coming out in rugby and cricket, to much support from the general public and the sports community. What steps is the Minister taking to encourage a similar welcoming atmosphere in football—the nation’s most popular sport?

[Lynne Featherstone]

I would like to put on record our congratulations to Steven Davies, the English cricketer, and Gareth Thomas, the Welsh rugby player on coming out. This is an important issue and we look forward to working with the Football Association to create an atmosphere and ambience in which footballers should feel free to come out as they wish—not just for the sake of the league and themselves, but for the sake of youngsters all over the country who should be able to play on any sports field free of any discrimination.

[Stephen Mosley (City of Chester) (Con)]

3. What recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on parental leave for maternity and paternity.

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[Esther McVey (Wirral West) (Con)]

6. What recent representations she has received on the regulation of airbrushed images of women in the media.

[The Minister for Equalities (Lynne Featherstone)]

I have received representations from concerned members of the public, the advertising industry and other interested parties about the regulation of airbrushed images of women in the media. Last November I met a group of experts to discuss our shared concerns and the evidence that it had assembled on matters such as the way in which media representations of body shape can affect self-confidence and well-being. I am working with the group, with relevant industries and with the Advertising Standards Authority to identify non-legislative ways of tackling the issue.

[Esther McVey]

Is the Minister aware of the petition submitted by Girlguiding UK to the Prime Minister on 4 November that called for compulsory labelling to distinguish between airbrushed and natural images? What steps will she take to ensure that consumers, especially the young, know when images have been altered?

[Lynne Featherstone]

I am aware of the Girlguiding petition. It is an excellent petition, signed by thousands of young girls. It is true that the impression given to young girls by airbrushed images has a devastating effect. We are not considering legislative processes, but following my meeting with representatives of Media Smart, a not-for-profit organisation, Media Smart is developing as part of its programme a media literacy kit for youngsters at school that will help them to become more aware that what they see is not necessarily what is real.

[Geraint Davies (Swansea West) (Lab/Co-op)]

What impact assessment has the Minister made of the impact of airbrushed pictures of the Prime Minister on the self-confidence—