A key objective of the route is to ensure that overseas workers are protected against modern slavery and other labour abuses. The sponsor licence regime places a broad range of responsibilities on Scheme Operators to ensure that the rights of migrant workers are protected.

The Government is carefully considering the Migration Advisory Committee’s review of the Seasonal Worker route and will announce a detailed response in due course. We will consider all these points in the round. Any question regarding tax and pension contributions will, however, need to be directed to the relevant Government departments.

Should the Seasonal Worker Interest Group wish to request a meeting with the Home Office Ministers, I would ask that they write to the department and any such request will be given appropriate consideration.

The UK is committed to eradicating all forms of modern slavery, forced labour and human trafficking anywhere in the world. We regularly raise the rights of minorities with the Government of Pakistan. In Pakistan, our Aawaz II Accountability, Inclusion and Reducing Modern Slavery Programme and Asia Regional Child Labour Programme are working with partners, including the Government of Pakistan and civil society, to reduce child and bonded labour. Meanwhile, our Girls and Out of School Action for Learning programme is improving education outcomes for marginalised children from the most vulnerable sections of society. We will continue to use our funding to support Pakistan's long-term development, focusing on improving governance and human rights, macroeconomic stability and trade, and climate resilience.

We note the continued prevalence of child labour in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and are committed to eradicating all forms of modern slavery, forced labour and human trafficking in line with achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goal 8.7 by 2030. We regularly raise the issue of child labour in DRC both with the DRC government, and through multi-lateral fora such as the Human Rights Council. In addition, the Home Office is funding work through the Modern Slavery Innovation Fund with the objective of strengthening partnerships to prevent and remedy forced labour in supply chains from DRC. Through such partnerships, we are committed to ensuring that children are not penalised any further for their unlawful exploitation. The UK government is committed to the principles laid out in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and is dedicated to providing the best possible opportunities for all children, but especially those who have had the hardest start in life.

Since October 2020, a wide group of stakeholders comprising retailers, manufacturers and non-profit organisations have been working with the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA) under the Apparel and General Merchandise Public Private Protocol to address poor working, pay, and purchasing practices in the UK supply chain.

In response to the single enforcement body consultation published last year, the government reaffirmed its commitment to continue engaging with the enforcement bodies and industry partners to strengthen our understanding of the garment trade. We will continue to review this issue and consider options to drive up standards across the sector.

We note the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner’s statement and welcome the focus on the UK’s wider support for vulnerable refugee children and efforts to prevent human trafficking at source. We will continue to engage closely with the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner on these issues.

On 8 February, the Government announced that we will transfer the specified number of 350 children to the UK under section 67 of the Immigration Act. This number has been agreed following consultation with local authorities on their capacity to accommodate and care for unaccompanied children. We will announce in due course the basis on which further children will be transferred from Europe to the UK under section 67 of the Immigration Act to the specified number.

The Government is fully committed to the timely and efficient operation of the Dublin Regulation and supports the principle of family reunification. We are working closely with EU Member States to improve the Dublin process. We have secondees in France, Greece and Italy who are supporting work on Dublin and section 67.

The UK has established the £10 million Refugee Children’s Fund which is providing targeted support to meet the specific needs of unaccompanied and separated children migrating through Greece and other transit countries. The fund is providing additional and improved safe accommodation spaces for children, with 24hr care and specialist support. The fund also provides specialist training for officials and volunteers as well as legal support and advice.

We are working internationally to help prevent vulnerable people from becoming victims. The Prime Minister pledged £33.5m of official development assistance funding, to support victims and bring perpetrators to justice by working in partnership with key countries. The PM Taskforce is also making progress bringing the collective weight of Government to bear. We are already seeing progress in intelligence gathering and are developing our international strategy to tackle the threat overseas and deepen law enforcement cooperation. This will enable us to investigate, prosecute and otherwise disrupt the activity of slave-drivers and traffickers of human beings. We also work closely with Europol and Eurojust to facilitate cross-border operations and joint investigations with European law enforcement agencies.