Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Bill

moved Amendment No. 44:"Before Clause 51, insert the following new clause—" ““TRAFFICKING (1)   The Secretary of State may provide accommodation and other essential living needs to persons who have been trafficked into the United Kingdom. (2)   For the purposes of this section, a ““trafficked person”” means— (a)   a person who is a passenger within the meaning of section 4 of the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc.) Act 2004 (c. 19) (trafficking people for exploitation), and who has been or whom the Secretary of State believes may have been ““exploited”” within the meaning of subsection (4) of that section; (b)   a person who is the victim of an offence under sections 55 to 59 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 (c. 42) or section 145 or 146 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 (c. 41); (c)   a person whom the Secretary of State decides, on the basis of the information available to him, should be treated as a person to whom paragraphs (a) or (b) above apply, pending any final determination of whether or not they have been trafficked within the meaning of those subsections.”” The noble Lord said: My Lords, as can be seen from the heading of the amendment, it attempts to improve the situation as regards trafficking of persons. It is in fact a modified version of my Committee stage Amendment No. 74. I emphasise that it is permissive and imposes no duties. The definition of a trafficked person has been improved by using the language of existing statutes. As your Lordships know, there is already some accommodation for women trafficked for purposes of prostitution through the Poppy project, while local authorities have responsibilities for trafficked children. There is however no specific provision for women trafficked for non-sexual exploitation, or any accommodation at all for men. The new clause fills that gap. It grants only a power to the Secretary of State. He or she would not have to return to Parliament if, following a consultation on the Home Office action plan headed ““Tackling Human Trafficking””, it is decided that accommodation is in fact needed. This could then be provided for the rehabilitation of victims and to facilitate the prosecution of criminals. I suggest that both purposes are necessary. I beg to move.