asked Her Majesty's Government:
What are the latest developments on the United Kingdom action plan on tackling human trafficking. [HL2932]
Many of the actions in the UK action plan have been completed or are ongoing and in the process of implementation. As implementation progresses the plan will be updated and revised. The interdepartmental ministerial group on human trafficking meets quarterly to monitor implementation of the action plan and updates on progress are also provided to the Ministerial NGO Group on Human Trafficking. Examples of progress include the training of police and law enforcement officers by the United Kingdom Human Trafficking Centre (UKHTC), increasing public awareness with the Blue Blindfold campaign, the establishment of an advice line for professionals likely to come into contact with child victims and the introduction of service level agreements with women's aid projects that expands available accommodation for victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation to other parts of the country.
In regard to enforcement activity we are currently in the process of the second nationwide Operation Pentameter.
The work currently under way to implement the Council of Europe Convention on action against trafficking in human beings is a major part of the UK action plan and to this end we have tabled an amendment to the Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill at House of Lords Report stage in order to ensure we can ratify the convention by the end of the year.
asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether a code of practice on the carriage of minors has been developed and implemented, as proposed in the United Kingdom Action Plan on Tackling Human Trafficking. [HL2933]
The Government have implemented all of the voluntary best practice recommendations made by the International Air Transport Association/Control Authority Working Group (IATA/CAWG) report of May 2007 that relate to control authorities apart from a legislative measure which remains under consideration.
It is planned that a review of the impact of the recommendations will be conducted a year after their implementation.