Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Home Office

Oral Answers to Questions

Carolyn Harris Excerpts
Monday 9th November 2020

(4 years ago)

Commons Chamber
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Carolyn Harris Portrait Carolyn Harris (Swansea East) (Lab)
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The Centre for Social Justice report “It Still Happens Here” estimates that 90,000 victims of modern slavery went unidentified under the previous lockdown. Under the second lockdown, what proactive steps will the Government take to identify, rescue and protect victims of modern slavery?

Priti Patel Portrait Priti Patel
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I thank the hon. Lady for her really important question. She is right about the report published by the Centre for Social Justice. I am acutely aware, as are officials across the Department, of the scale of modern-day slavery. Much of it is underground, in the black economy, where people are captured and put into bonded labour. There is extensive work taking place in the Home Office and with law enforcement, and I would be very happy to share some of that work with the hon. Lady.