PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Forced Labour: Social Costs (29 October 2018)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make an assessment of the validity of the methodology in his Department's July 2018 report on the Economic and social costs of modern slavery which found that the emotional costs of labour exploitation exceed those of sexual exploitation.

Asked by:
Sarah Champion (Labour)

In common with other Home Office Research Reports, the methodology used in the “Economic and Social Costs of Modern Slavery” report was reviewed by two independent academics. The estimate uses a technique used in health economics to quantify and monetise these harms to the victim.

The reasongiven for the emotional costs of labour exploitation exceeding that for sexual exploitation is due to the greater likelihood of victims of labour exploitation experiencing alcohol dependency as a result of their exploitation. There is a likelihood of other emotional harms (fear, anxiety, depression and drug dependency) for labour and sexual exploitation. This information on the likelihood of harm was gathered through interviews with a sample of victim service providers and police officers.

Answered by:
Victoria Atkins (Conservative)
1 November 2018