August 2023
Price: £95 PLUS VAT
Format: DOWNLOADABLE PDF
This conference brought stakeholders and policymakers together to examine the next steps for tackling modern slavery in the UK.
Following the introduction to Parliament of the Illegal Migration Bill, it was a timely opportunity to consider the impact, implementation and appropriateness of new measures aimed at preventing illegal arrivals from both accessing modern slavery support and using referrals to block their detention and removal.
Delegates examined implications for the UK’s modern slavery strategy and for relevant legislation moving forward, as well as for enforcement, international partnerships and support for victims.
We are pleased to have been able to include keynote sessions with Julia Mulligan, Chair, Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority; Caroline Haughey KC, Barrister, Furnival Chambers; and Andrea Salvoni, Deputy Coordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.
Sessions in the agenda explored:
- enforcement and identification:
- funding priorities - improving coordination of responsible agencies in the current system to enable more effective working across the range of issues affecting modern slavery
- options for the creation of a single enforcement body and simplification of the current enforcement landscape and responsibilities
- support for victims:
- the response of enforcement agencies and criminal justice to modern slavery - how to improve current mechanisms for detection and investigation
- opportunities for reforming the National Referral Mechanism to help tackle current backlogs, improve decision-making timeframes and connect victims to the services they need
- supply chains:
- the role of businesses in combatting modern slavery at home and abroad
- enhancing due diligence checks and the introduction of ethical and modern-slavery-conscious procurement and supply chains
The conference was an opportunity for stakeholders to consider the issues alongside key policy officials who attended from Border Force; CQC; Defra; DLUHC; DHSC; Department for the Economy, NI; DWP; FCDO; HMPPS; HMRC; Home Office; NCA; The Scottish Government; and the Welsh Government.
