HC Deb 15 January 2002 vol 378 cc187-8W
Llew Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the extent of the slave trade in children in the United Kingdom. [25199]

Mr. Keith Bradley

There are currently no reliable data about trafficking in people either nationally or internationally. The clandestine nature of the offence means that it is difficult to measure the extent to which the United Kingdom receives children trafficked for sexual and labour exploitation. However, there is no evidence to indicate that there is large-scale trafficking of children to the United Kingdom.

The United Kingdom is one of the strongest supporters of the International Labour Organisation's (ILO) Convention on the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour. In recognition of the seriousness of the offence of trafficking children on an international scale, we are working across Government,

available for the age group required. The table gives information on offences most likely to have involved a traffic offence.

and with a variety of organisations, to encourage ratification and implementation of the convention world-wide.

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