Crime minister says the government will respond to recommendations to improve the first-of-its kind law passed in 2015 but whose implementation has been very slowLondon — Punishing businesses that fail to tackle modern slavery, providing better support for child victims, and holding the government to account topped the agenda in a review on Wednesday intended to improve Britain’s landmark anti-slavery legislation.
A lack of convictions, limited awareness among and training of professionals, and problems around data collection have blunted Britain’s anti-slavery response, the report said. Britain’s minister for crime, Victoria Atkins, said that the government would fully respond to the review’s recommendations, yet did not provide a timeframe.
The law should be sharpened to punish big businesses and public bodies that fail to disclose their anti-slavery actions, while the anti-slavery tsar must be free to scrutinise and criticise the government’s actions, according to the review. The former police chief took up the post earlier in May, about a year after the inaugural anti-slavery tsar resigned, expressing frustration about the government interference in his role.