To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 26 January 2009, Official Report, columns 94-5W, on human trafficking, what guidance has been issued by his Department to the agencies involved in the national referral mechanism on systematic identification of victims of human trafficking. (277244)

Specialist teams within the UK Human Trafficking Centre and the UK Border Agency have been set up to act as decision making competent authorities within the multi-agency national referral mechanism.

Comprehensive guidance and training, utilising expertise from within and outside Government, has been provided to these teams. Staff within these teams have been instructed to engage with external agencies to assist in the identification process.

In addition, myself and the Association of Chief Police Officers lead for human trafficking wrote to all chief officers to direct them to the Home Office website which holds information about the national referral mechanism:

http://www.crimereduction.homeoffice.gov.uk/human trafficking005.htm

All other relevant agencies have also been directed to this information.