Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether compensation has been paid to victims of (1) exploitation, and (2) abuse, following recent convictions connected with modern slavery; and if so, whether any such payments came from (a) the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme, or (b) from assets seized.

We are unable to comment on individual cases.

The GB-wide Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme (the Scheme) provides state-funded compensation to victims of violent crime who may be unable to access compensation from other routes. Payments are available for physical or psychological injuries resulting directly from a crime of violence. Compensation under the Scheme is not dependent on the conviction of the perpetrator, and is separate to any order made by the sentencing court.

Victims of modern slavery who have been conclusively identified as such (through the National Referral Mechanism) may be eligible for compensation under the Scheme regardless of residence status or nationality, subject to wider eligibility criteria. The crime committed must constitute a crime of violence as defined under Annex B of the Scheme. Victims are compensated for the injuries they have sustained rather than the nature of the incident (with the exception of sexual assault or abuse). The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority which operates the Scheme does not hold data on compensation awarded to victims of modern slavery.

The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 provides police forces and other enforcement agencies with the statutory framework to recover the proceeds of crime from criminals and those engaged in unlawful conduct. This includes powers which allow courts to confiscate the proceeds of crime following a criminal conviction. A court imposing a Confiscation Order can also order an offender to pay compensation to the victim of their crime. If the offender does not have the means to satisfy both a Confiscation Order and a Compensation Order, the court can order that the Compensation Order be paid from the sums recovered as part of the Confiscation Order.

Data is not held on compensation paid to victims from modern slavery related asset recoveries.