§ Tom BrakeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the progress in the UK's implementation of the European Union Council of Ministers' Framework Decision on Combating Trafficking in Human Beings. [182463]
§ Mr. BrowneThe European Union Framework Decision requires us to criminalise trafficking for the purposes of sexual exploitation and forced labour. We are committed to criminalising trafficking effectively for these purposes, and in the case of trafficking for sexual exploitation legislative measures are already in force.
The Sexual Offences Act 2003 includes offences covering trafficking into, within and out of the United Kingdom. These offences were brought into force on 1 May 2004. New offences covering trafficking for other forms of exploitation, including trafficking for the purposes of forced labour and removal of organs, are included in the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc.) Bill, which is currently before Parliament.