A delegation of the Council of Europe's Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) carried out an evaluation visit to the United Kingdom from 3 to 11 December 2024, as part of the fourth evaluation round of the Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings.
This new evaluation round of monitoring the implementation of the Convention focuses on vulnerabilities to human trafficking and measures taken by States Parties to prevent them, detect and support vulnerable victims, and punish the offenders. This includes a focus on the use of information and communication technology (ICT), which brings structural changes to the way offenders operate and exacerbates existing vulnerabilities. In addition to the new thematic focus, GRETA examines how the main recommendations made in its third evaluation report on the United Kingdom have been implemented.
The visit enabled GRETA to hold meetings with officials, civil society representatives and individuals with lived experiences across the four constituent countries of the United Kingdom.
In London, the GRETA delegation met the Minister for Safeguarding and Violence against Women and Girls, Jess Phillips MP, and officials from the Home Office, the Ministry of Justice, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the Department for Education, the Department of Business and Trade, the Crown Prosecution Service, the National Crime Agency, the National Police Chiefs’ Council, the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA), His Majesty’s Prisons and Probation Service, UK Border Force, UK Visas and Immigration, the Metropolitan Police, the Office of Communications, and the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills. Separate meetings were held with the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration, David Bolt, and staff of the Office of the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner. Further, GRETA’s delegation exchanged with members of the UK Parliament’s All-Party Parliamentary Group on Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery.
In Cardiff, the GRETA delegation met Welsh Government officials and members of the Anti-Slavery Wales Forum and regional Anti-Slavery groups.
In Glasgow, meetings were held with officials from the Scottish Government, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, Police Scotland, the Scottish Guardianship Service, Glasgow City Council and GLAA. Separate meetings were held with the Scottish Human Rights Commission and Commissioner for Children and Young People. Further, GRETA met representatives of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority, based in Glasgow.
In Belfast, the GRETA delegation met officials from Northern Ireland’s Department of Justice, Department of Health, Police Service, Public Prosecution Service, and GLAA. Discussions were also held with representatives of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission.
In the different countries of the UK, GRETA’s delegation held meetings with representatives of non-governmental organisations and trade unions, lawyers, researchers and survivors of trafficking in human beings.
Furthermore, the delegation visited safe houses for victims of trafficking in London, Cardiff, Glasgow and Belfast, as well as an immigration detention centre and a women’s prison.
The visit was carried out by Ms Helga Gayer, President of GRETA, and Mr Peter Van Hauwermeiren, member of GRETA, who were accompanied by Ms Petya Nestorova, Executive Secretary of the Convention, and Ms Parvine Ghadami of the Secretariat of the Convention.
Following the visit, GRETA will prepare a draft report which will be sent to the UK authorities for comments. GRETA will subsequently adopt a final report which will be published together with the authorities’ final comments.
