To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will ensure that the regulations governing the new contract for the specialist support providers allow bids to provide ongoing care and support once victims exit the shelter service, at the end of the 45 days period irrespective of whether they have received a Conclusive Grounds decision.
This answer is the replacement for a previous holding answer.
Answered on
2 July 2014
Once they receive a positive Reasonable Grounds decision, potential victims of
trafficking are entitled to a minimum of 45 days' care and support which can
continue up to the point they receive a positive Conclusive Grounds decision,
whichever is the later. Article 12 of the European Convention on Action
against Trafficking in Human Beings requires the UK to provide a minimum of 30
days' support for victims of human trafficking. The current UK Government
policy goes further than the European Convention on Action against Trafficking
obligations by providing a minimum of 45 days support once a Reasonable Grounds
decision is made.
Care and support for victims, once they receive a positive Conclusive Grounds
decision, is being considered as part of the ongoing review of the National
Referral Mechanism and as part of the re-tender of the Government's care
contract for adult victims of human trafficking.