Immigration Solicitors

The Prime Minister has pledged that the UK will continue to lead the drive to eradicate modern slavery, both in Britain and overseas.

Mrs May – writing in a Sunday newspaper – said that, since the Modern Slavery Act was introduced in 2015, the legislation had “delivered tough new penalties to put slave masters behind bars where they belong”, with life sentences for the worst offenders.

She went on to say that the Act – the first legislation of its kind in Europe – had “created a vital policing tool” to prevent those convicted of trafficking from travelling to a country where they were known to have exploited vulnerable people previously.

Mrs May also said that the Act had delivered enhanced protection and support for victims – as well as “a world-leading transparency requirement on businesses”, to show that modern slavery was not taking place in their companies or their supply chains.

“Together with my successor as Home Secretary, we will hold regular meetings in Downing Street with every relevant department present to get a real grip of this issue right across Whitehall – and to co-ordinate and drive further progress in the battle against this cruel exploitation,” said the Prime Minister.

She added that an independent review by a barrister with a proven track record of successfully prosecuting “slave drivers” had shown that good progress had been made in the first year of the Act – with 289 modern slavery offences prosecuted in 2015 alone, as well as a 40% rise in the number of victims identified by the State.

Mrs May said, however, that the response of local police forces could be “too patchy” – figures show that, between April 2015 and March 2016, a total of six of the 43 territorial police forces did not record a single modern slavery crime.

As a result, the Prime Minister said she would be commissioning an HMIC Inspection, to make sure that all police forces treated modern slavery “with the priority it deserves”.

She added that the UK must work collaboratively with law enforcement agencies across the world to track and stop “pernicious gangs” who operate across borders and jurisdictions.

“The new Anti-Slavery Commissioner that I appointed, Kevin Hyland, is the only such commissioner in the world – and he is critical in our fight to stop criminal gangs exploiting innocent men, women and children,” said Mrs May.

The Prime Minister added that the UK had played “the leading role” in getting the eradication of modern slavery into the Sustainable Development Goals – and as part of this drive, would be using more than £33 million from the UK aid budget to create a five-year International Modern Slavery Fund, focused on high-risk countries, where it is known victims are regularly being trafficked into the UK.

Duncan Lewis Immigration Solicitors

Duncan Lewis immigration solicitors are one of the UK’s leading firms of immigration specialists and are able to advise on business immigration and right to work in the UK, as well as visa applications and appeals, student visas, spouse visas and visa overstays.

Duncan Lewis immigration lawyers can also advice on illegal entry to the UK, the Modern Slavery Bill, and UK immigration law and the Human Rights Act.

There are Duncan Lewis offices nationwide and in most major cities, including more than 20 offices across London and the southeast.

For expert legal advice on UK immigration law, call Duncan Lewis immigration solicitors on 0333 772 0409.

For 24/7 help at a police station or in case of detention for immigration offences, call the Duncan Lewis Solicitors 24-Hour Emergency Helpline on 0333 772 0607