Child Protection, Asia: UK Assistance (Hansard, 13 April 1999)

§ Baroness Amos
My Lords, the Government are working with a range of partners in Asia to support several strategic child protection initiatives. in particular in Nepal and Thailand but which will benefit children in countries throughout south and south-east Asia.

§ Baroness Knight of Collingtree
My Lords, I am grateful to the Minister for her interesting reply. Is she aware of the extent to which our embassies, particularly in Bangkok and Kathmandu. have, quite voluntarily, given enormous help to victims? Is she aware, as I have recently seen at first hand, that some of these tragic teenagers have been, as it were, rescued and given sanctuary and small jobs in the embassies, even though they suffer from AIDS and other health problems? Will she take the opportunity to commend the work being done along those lines in our embassies?

§ Baroness Amos
My Lords, I am very pleased to endorse the support that the noble Baroness gives to the work of our embassies in Bangkok and Kathmandu. I wish to add my thanks in terms of the support that DfID staff in Bangkok have given in relation to these issues. The noble Baroness may be interested to know that we are supporting a regional child rights' strategy to counter the movement of children and young people across borders in the greater Mekong sub-region. We are also supporting the promotion of similar co-operation between south Asian countries.

§ Baroness Lockwood
My Lords, can my noble friend say whether DfID has any special works or projects to try to protect girls from being forced into the commercial sex industry?

§ Baroness Amos
My Lords, DfID supports a Save the Children Fund research project on Thailand's borders which is designed to ensure that the experiences 619 and priorities of vulnerable children and young people are reflected in the policies which affect them. British police officers have completed a second round of child protection courses for the Royal Thai Police and child welfare professionals, supported by the FCO. We have also helped the Nepal police to establish pilot women and children units to improve the reporting and investigating of crimes against women and children.

§ Lord Hylton
My Lords, can the noble Baroness say whether there have been prosecutions in our courts of British residents travelling abroad in order to abuse children overseas? Can she confirm that British travel agents and airlines have been co-operating in restraining that kind of deplorable travel?

§ Baroness Amos
My Lords, there have been no prosecutions under the Sex Offenders Act 1997. It was always expected that the Act would be used only as a last resort where a country will not prosecute or where the UK itself cannot extradite. The problems we have had in terms of obtaining evidence from abroad will always make prosecutions difficult, but we have a total commitment to dealing with the concerns outlined by the noble Lord.
The noble Lord asks about British travel agents and airlines. I do not have the detail to enable me to answer that question but I am sure that, where possible, airlines and travel agents have been co-operative. If I can add to that, I shall write to the noble Lord.

§ Baroness Gardner of Parkes
My Lords, I declare an interest as chairman of PLAN International (UK), an NGO. Is the Minister aware that we are working in various countries in south-east Asia and are supported by DfID? We do a good deal of work, which I have seen myself, in Thailand. We feel that our best contribution is being able to support children and families in developing an economic base so as to enable these young people to live in their own communities instead of being forced into prostitution at an early age.

§ Baroness Amos
My Lords, I agree entirely with the noble Baroness. In the projects which we have been developing in Nepal, Thailand and other parts of south-east Asia we have worked hard to ensure that when children are removed from these difficult circumstances we try to deal with the wider issues such as poverty which underline what is going on. The support of children and families in relation to that is extremely important.

§ Lord McNally
My Lords, what liaison is there with the Home Office to prevent abuse via the internet in such cases?

§ Baroness Amos
My Lords, there has been considerable liaison with the Home Office on a range of matters. In fact, my noble friend Lord Williams of Mostyn visited Thailand only last month. The noble 620 Lord asks specifically about the internet. I do not have details of liaison on that aspect but, again, if I can add anything to my answer, I shall write to the noble Lord.

§ Baroness Rawlings
My Lords, following the question of the noble Lord, Lord Hylton, will the Minister inform the House what discussions she has had with her Home Office colleagues about strengthening the Sex Offenders Act 1997 so as to oblige offenders to register their addresses when they travel abroad?

§ Baroness Amos
My Lords, as I said to the noble Lord, Lord Hylton, there is total commitment to dealing with these issues. There has been considerable liaison between the Home Office and DfID and work continues in terms of our participation in international action arid the sharing of intelligence, expertise and the training skills of our police with other governments. We shall continue to work closely with the Home Office. We have had no specific discussion on the strengthening of the legislation.