Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of recent reports of child labour in mica mines in Madagascar; and what steps they are taking to end such practices.

?The UK is concerned about reports of the use of child labour in the mining industry in Madagascar. We are committed to eradicating all forms of modern slavery. Under the Modern Slavery Act, all large businesses in the UK with a turnover of £36 million or more are required to publish an annual transparency statement detailing the steps they have taken to prevent modern slavery from occurring in their business and supply chains. This enables consumers, investors and campaigners alike to hold businesses to account. The UK regularly raises human rights concerns with the Government of Madagascar. At the 34th Session of the Universal Periodic Review in November 2019, the UK recommended Madagascar strengthen its existing legislation to ensure that all forms of modern slavery and human trafficking are criminalised in line with international conventions and standards; this includes the exploitation of children.