Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what training is being offered to local authorities on making referrals to the National Referral Mechanism for victims of human trafficking; and how many local authorities have undertaken such training to date.

In 2013, three Non-Government Organisations were awarded total grant funding of approximately £75,000 by the Home Office to provide training
to a range of local professionals, including those working in local authorities. In January 2013 the Home Office also published guidance for
frontline staff on responding to victims of trafficking, which includes guidance on making referrals to the National Referral Mechanism.

Home Office funding of £420,000 is being provided to Barnardo’s to fund independent child advocacy service trials for a period of twelve months,
September 2014 to September 2015, in 23 local authorities.

The Review of the National Referral Mechanism has considered training and will make recommendations when it reports shortly.