Clause 58 - Trafficking into the UK for
Sexual Offences Bill [Lords]
11:00 am
Mr Humfrey Malins (Woking, Conservative)
I support what the hon. Gentleman has said. He has argued the case very well and will know that our amendment No. 222 is almost identical. He alluded to other forms of trafficking that are outside the scope of the Bill, but trafficking itself is a very nasty offence. May I venture a few thoughts about its gravity? The hon. Member for Walthamstow (Mr. Gerrard) and I are familiar with the world of asylum. We know about the awful offences of trafficking that are carried out by gangs for reward in that connection, and we abhor that offence. We also know about trafficking for the purposes of prostitution and regard that as a very unpleasant offence indeed.
Trafficking for the purposes of prostitution is, perhaps, more serious, in that there is a position of domination over the person being trafficked. We grade the offences in our mind. We regard all forms of trafficking as appalling, but we might regard trafficking for prostitution as a harsher, nastier business than trafficking per se for the purposes of seeking asylum or settlement. I make those points only to illustrate that there are levels of gravity.