← Back to Westminster Hall Debates
Human Rights: Supply Chains
18 June 2026
Lead MP
Bambos Charalambous
Enfield, Southgate
Lab
Responding Minister
Kate Dearden
Tags
Crime & Law EnforcementEconomyClimateBrexitForeign AffairsEnergyBusiness & TradeStandards & Ethics
Word Count: 11381
Other Contributors: 10
At a Glance
Bambos Charalambous raised concerns about human rights: supply chains in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key Requests to Government:
Mr Charalambous asks the Government to confirm when they will publish the responsible business conduct review and the national baseline assessment as set out in last year's trade strategy. He also wants confirmation that the Government will adopt a thorough, holistic approach to address human rights abuses and environmental harm in supply chains, rather than a narrow patchwork of guidelines.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
Mr Bambos Charalambous is concerned about the exploitation of workers and human rights violations in global supply chains. He cited several examples including the Boohoo scandal involving low-paid workers in Leicester and labour issues related to Uyghur communities, Costa Rican banana growers, cobalt miners in Congo, environmental defenders in Nigeria, union-busting factories in Sri Lanka, solar panel manufacturing with forced labour in China, and deforestation linked to UK imports of beef, soya, cocoa, rubber, and palm oil. He noted that 75% of countries deny workers the right to freedom of association, while 50 million people are trapped in modern slavery globally.
Alison Griffiths
Lab
Cardiff Bay
Griffiths acknowledged the contributions of various MPs and the need for strong enforcement against goods produced through forced labour. She highlighted the importance of public procurement in this effort, stating that government must lead by example and ensure taxpayer money does not reward exploitative practices.
Apsana Begum
Lab
West Ham
Ms Begum focused on the human rights issues in Bangladesh following the Rana Plaza collapse, highlighting that 1,134 garment workers lost their lives due to a lack of respect for labour rights. She noted that while there have been advances since then, they were slow and unevenly distributed. Ms Begum stressed the need for universal mandatory responsibilities rather than voluntary measures. She also discussed the French duty of vigilance law and the EU's due diligence directive as examples of legal pathways to justice. Additionally, she criticised UK trade policy with settlements in Occupied Palestinian Territories, stating that it enables rights abuses.
Catherine West
Lab
Hornsey and Wood Green
Welcomed the supply chain centre's announcement of a 14-point action plan, highlighting that onshoring in fashion and textiles could unlock £3.1 billion in GDP, create 64,000 new jobs and generate £1.2 billion in tax receipts.
Ellie Chowns
Lab
Leeds North East
Ms Chowns highlighted the global environmental and human rights impacts of UK businesses, including climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, deforestation, and labour rights. She called for robust legislation to prevent modern slavery through import and export restrictions. Ms Chowns noted that the EU's corporate sustainability due diligence directive would apply to UK companies in EU markets without equivalent domestic standards at home. Business leaders, investors, and parliamentary committees are calling for mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence laws. Additionally, 145,000 citizens have signed a petition supporting such legislation.
Chingford and Woodford Green
He highlighted the lack of enforcement in the Modern Slavery Act, noting that suppliers often make false declarations knowing they will not be checked. He stressed the commercial exploitation by countries like China using slave labour to undercut markets, particularly impacting efforts towards net zero emissions. Duncan Smith criticized the government's inability to balance environmental goals with human rights concerns and called for immediate supply chain checks, emphasizing the need for legislative enforcement through upgrading section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act. Duncan Smith intervened to urge the Government to look at what countries like the US and some European nations are doing, and to urgently resolve the issue rather than delaying with another review.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
He thanked the hon. Member for securing the debate and highlighted China's significant human rights abuses, particularly towards Christians, Uyghur Muslims, and Falun Gong practitioners, calling for methods to address these issues.
Hayes and Harlington
McDonnell thanked organisations for their work on the issue, noting concerns about the finance sector's involvement in abusive business practices. He highlighted the need to include the finance sector in supply chain reviews due to current exemptions and lack of regulation in shadow banking.
He asked his hon. Friend if he agreed with the Joint Committee on Human Rights' recommendation to strengthen section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act, specifically focusing on the reporting duty's reflection of business size and capacity.
Tom Gordon
SNP
Airdrie and Shotts
Concerned about the gap between government rhetoric and reality regarding forced labour in supply chains, Tom Gordon highlighted that despite assurances, goods made with forced labour are still reaching UK shelves. He criticised the lack of concrete measures in the Government's China audit and the weak response to industry standards like solar stewardship initiatives.
She commended her hon. Friend for securing the debate and noted that while efforts have been made in the UK to secure employment rights, 80% of countries globally restrict collective bargaining rights and 75% deny trade union establishment or joining rights.
Government Response
Kate Dearden
Government Response
It is a pleasure to serve under the chairmanship of Peter Dowd. The minister thanked Bambos Charalambous for securing the debate, highlighting the importance of supply chain resilience in economic security and the need for public sector procurement regimes that do not support international labour abuses or humanitarian crises. She reaffirmed the government's commitment to tackling modern slavery, which generates nearly £176 billion in illegal profits annually. The minister noted that while the Modern Slavery Act 2015 was world-leading at the time of its introduction, it is now outdated and requires review. She mentioned the complexity and opacity of global supply chains, leading to reduced transparency and accountability. Urging a more strategic approach through free trade agreements and suspending preferential trading arrangements due to labour rights violations, she also highlighted efforts to engage with international partners and stakeholders for coordinated action against exploitative practices. The minister discussed ongoing work on responsible business conduct and the integration of these practices into UK businesses' operations. She addressed concerns raised about GB Energy's compliance with modern slavery legislation and emphasized the government's commitment to holding China accountable for human rights abuses in Xinjiang. She concluded by thanking all Members for their contributions and reiterating the government's dedication to focusing on this issue as a priority.
▸
Assessment & feedback
Summary accuracy
About Westminster Hall Debates
Westminster Hall debates are a chance for MPs to raise important issues affecting their constituents and get a response from a government minister. Unlike Prime Minister's Questions, these debates are more in-depth and collaborative. The MP who secured the debate speaks first, other MPs can contribute, and a minister responds with the government's position.