HC Deb 04 March 2004 vol 418 cc1143-4W
Mr. Simmonds

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps his Department has taken to combat trafficking of people into Britain from(a) China and (b) the Far East. [158327]

Beverley Hughes

The Government is committed to tackling the crime of human trafficking in all its guises, and operates an intelligence led approach to the policing of human trafficking. Reflex, a UK wide multi-agency taskforce to combat organised immigration crime,

Region Application Start Date SIA licence required from Estimated number

of door supervisors

Hampshire and Isle of Wight 1 March 2004 4 June 2004 2,883
South West 1 June 2004 23 August 2004 7,742
Wales 14 June 2004 6 September 2004 4,380
Midlands 5 July 2004 18 October 2004 12,410
North West 9 August 2004 15 November 2004 10,589
North East 6 September 2004 13 December 2004 11,732
East 4 October 2004 3 January 2005 7,511
South East 25 October 2004 28 February 2005 19,366
London 3 January 2005 11 April 2005 11,272

which includes people trafficking and smuggling, was established in 2000. At present, Reflex has a number of operations focused on disrupting organised Chinese, Far Eastern and other criminal gangs some of which involves close liaison with our European partners and source countries.