Human Trafficking

Mr. Bone
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions she has had with other EU leaders on levels of human trafficking for the purposes of sexual exploitation into the EU from Romania and Bulgaria.

Mr. Hoon
Neither my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary nor I have had any recent discussions with EU leaders specifically on human trafficking from Romania and Bulgaria. Officials are in regular contact with opposite numbers in EU capitals in order to take forward the implementation of the EU Action Plan on human trafficking, which was agreed during the UK presidency of the EU in 2005. The Action Plan was discussed by Interior Ministers at the Justice and Home Affairs Council on 4 and 5 December and is an important step in the fight against the trafficking of human beings. By working together, EU member states can identify the nature and scope of the problem, co-ordinate action to prevent trafficking into and within the EU, increase the effectiveness of investigations, and identify best practice to support and protect victims of trafficking.