Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when is the next review date for the National Referral Mechanism guidance; and whether that review will consider the barriers to referral routes for Overseas Domestic Worker visa holders at risk of modern slavery.

Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The “Modern Slavery: Statutory Guidance for England and Wales (under s49 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015) and Non-Statutory Guidance for Scotland and Northern Ireland” is regularly reviewed and updated to ensure that it remains current and effective for decision-makers and first responders.

Following the conclusion of the Call for Evidence on the Identification of Victims of Modern Slavery, we are considering the evidence received and how identification and referrals can be improved.

Overseas Domestic Workers who find themselves a victim of modern slavery can be referred into the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) by a designated First Responder.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what plans the Fair Work Agency has to collect data on Overseas Domestic Worker visa holders at risk of exploitation; and in what way this data will inform the Agency's enforcement priorities.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Fair Work Agency (FWA) has taken on the former Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority’s responsibility for enforcing legislation relating to labour exploitation and modern slavery.

Workers on Overseas Domestic Worker visas have the same protections and rights under employment law as British and settled workers. All employers are expected to comply with UK employment law.

The Employment Rights Act 2025 provides a robust legal framework for safe and effective information sharing and data gathering between specified bodies. The FWA will use this framework to help inform and make decisions on future priorities.