HL Deb 22 June 2004 vol 662 cc117-8WA
Lord Hylton

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What help they are giving, either individually or as part of a concerted approach, to each of the countries of south-eastern Europe, in order to combat the trafficking of persons for exploitation. [HL3158]

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean

The UK is committed to tackling this serious crime, particularly in the key area of south-eastern Europe. Through Reflex, a multi-agency task force set up in 2000 to tackle organised immigration crime, we are funding a range of projects in the region, such as providing an adviser on trafficking to the Bulgarian Government, and a network of immigration liaison officers covering 22 key source and transit countries in Europe. In the last financial year, we funded projects in the region at a total cost of over £1.7 million. We also work closely with our EU partners, the OSCE, NATO, other international organisations such as the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, and NGOs such as the International Organisation for Migration.