Modern Slavery Bill

House of Commons second reading

8 July 2014

The purpose of the Modern Slavery Bill is to consolidate, simplify and strengthen existing slavery and human trafficking offences[1] in England and Wales, and to improve support and protection for victims. The Commission supports the aims of the Bill, but has concerns that its provisions need strengthening in some areas in order to ensure that the human rights of all affected by the Bill are fully protected and to fully reflect the Concluding Observations of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, who examined a delegation from the Home Office in May 2014 on the UK’s compliance with the Optional Protocol on the Sale of Children. In some areas, the full effect of the Bill will depend on how its provisions, and associated secondary legislation, reviews, policies and guidance (still to be devised) are implemented.

Download the Commission's Parliamentary Briefing on the Modern Slavery Bill (Word)

Download the Concluding Observations of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (PDF)

Last Updated: 09 Jul 2014