PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Human Trafficking (5 February 2021)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the findings of the report by Women for Refugee Women After Exploitation entitled Survivors Behind Bars, published on 4 February 2021, that the detention of trafficking victims has increased since the introduction of the Adults at Risk policy in 2016; and if she will make a statement.

Asked by:
Mohammad Yasin (Labour)

The Government does not have an absolute exclusion from detention for any particular group. However, we fully accept that some groups of individuals can be at particular risk of harm in immigration detention. This is the basis of the Adults at Risk in immigration detention (AAR) policy, which strengthens the presumption against detention for vulnerable individuals.

The policy covers a wider range of vulnerabilities and its introduction has enabled Home Office staff to promptly identify whether a person is vulnerable and consequently whether they should be detained. This allows for a more rounded assessment of such vulnerabilities in a detention setting, along with a balanced assessment of any immigration compliance, criminality factors and expected date of removal. The greater the evidence of vulnerability, the less likely it is that the individual will be detained.

Additional safeguards are also in place which underpin detention decisions, including regular reviews to ensure detention remains lawful, appropriate and proportionate.

All Home Office staff working in the detention system are also given training and support to identify and act upon indicators of vulnerability, including recognising victims of trafficking and modern slavery, at the earliest opportunity. If an individual is suspected to be a victim of trafficking, they will be referred into the National Referral Mechanism.

Answered by:
Chris Philp (Conservative)
15 February 2021