Immigration

The speaker highlights concerns over the limited consultation period without specialist stakeholders, describing it as 'poor practice' by the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee. She also mentions that there are plans to introduce quality standards for external medical evidence in adults at risk policy, which may weaken protections for victims of trafficking. The speaker raises questions about a scheme called Places of Safety and cancelled pilot schemes exploring community alternatives to detention.

The Government's commitment to tackling modern slavery is re-emphasised, with a focus on the new modern slavery victim care contract and the transformation programme of the national referral mechanism. The Minister highlights that while efforts are made to support victims, being recognised as one does not automatically grant immigration status or immunity from proceedings. He also addresses concerns about detention practices, noting significant reductions in use over recent years. The regulations discussed aim to rectify an anomaly by bringing decisions for potential victims of modern slavery within the adults at risk policy framework, enabling a nuanced and balanced approach to safeguarding.

Supports the motion to revoke the regulations. Expresses concern over the impact of these regulations on trafficking survivors, arguing that they remove crucial protections provided by the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and could result in more victims being detained for longer periods. He criticises the Government's justification as merely administrative convenience and disputes claims of abuse within the system. Additionally, he highlights issues with the consultation process.

McDonnell contends that the Government’s main concern should be identifying and supporting trafficking victims, not addressing hypothetical system abuse. He cites research indicating more than 100,000 modern slavery victims in the UK, compared to only 3,000 identified survivors in 2020. The MP argues against lowering the threshold for reasonable grounds of identification as this could prevent many from accessing support and legal aid. McDonnell also highlights that detainees are extremely vulnerable and often suffer from PTSD or other mental health issues due to trauma. He calls into question the morality of detaining such individuals in facilities notorious for neglect, mistreatment, and even riots.

Mr. Shannon thanked the Minister for his efforts and recognised that the Government's Syrian resettlement scheme was a positive step, relocating families to safe environments. He emphasised the importance of addressing the plight of forcibly displaced persons globally, citing statistics from the UNHCR. Mr. Shannon highlighted the case of a family in Strangford who found refuge after facing persecution due to their faith, underscoring the impact and importance of such policies. Concerned about the prolonged detention of vulnerable individuals and its mental health implications, he questioned the Minister on whether there are intentions to reintroduce resettlement programmes.

Ms. Lynch expressed dissatisfaction with the Minister’s response, criticising the downgrading of protections for those subjected to modern slavery. She noted that while the Government claims leadership in this area, their proposed guidance undermines these efforts and reflects poorly on Britain's international reputation. Ms. Lynch highlighted support from colleagues through an early-day motion opposing the statutory instrument and emphasised the importance of retaining existing protections against modern slavery.