§ Keith VazTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what legal assistance is provided to women that have entered Britain illegally as victims of sex trade. [89020]
§ Beverley HughesThe White Paper "Secure Borders, Safe Haven: Integration With Diversity Within Modern Britain"—published in February 2002—sets out our general proposals for assisting the victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation. Briefly, where trafficked people are willing to come forward to the authorities, we shall where necessary make special arrangements for their protection including the provision of safe accommodation and health checks. We will consider, in the light of individual circumstances, whether it would be appropriate to allow them to remain here. Where they are to return home, we will assist them to do so, providing them with initial counselling, ensuring that they have suitable accommodation to return to, and providing help to enable them to reintegrate into their own community and find employment.
We propose to commission non-governmental organisations to provide a range of support services, including access to legal advice, for women who are victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation, when trafficking shortly becomes an offence, as anticipated, on commencement of the relevant provision of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002.
260WS