Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 4:57 pm on 27 March 2025.
Karen Bradley
Chair, Home Affairs Committee, Chair, Home Affairs Committee
4:57,
27 March 2025
I start by referring to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests, which I failed to do in my Opening Speech. I am worried that I may have just talked about things that I have an interest in without referring to that interest, so I have done that now. I also pay tribute to you, Madam Deputy Speaker, because you were a member of the Bill Committee, and were an integral part of delivering this legislation; we were there together, going through this.
It has been a fantastic debate. I thank everybody who has taken part, and I will briefly try to mention all of them. I say to Blair McDougall that things of beauty are many and varied, but his commitment to the cause of the Uyghurs cannot be doubted, and I look forward to working with him on the matter. Mr Kohler, who is an active member of the Home Affairs Committee, spoke well about his previous constituent Wilberforce. He also mentioned the resources for the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner, and I again pay tribute to all those who have held the role: Eleanor Lyons, who is in the role now, Kevin Hyland and Dame Sara Thornton, who have done amazing work.
Tom Collins, who is an active member of the APPG, spoke movingly about the human reaction, and noted that we cannot take the emotion out of the issue. The points that Ellie Chowns made about immigration status were so important. Immigration status is such a vulnerability, and we need to be careful. If the Minister wants to get rid of overseas domestic workers visas, she has an advocate in me.
My neighbour Mrs Russell and I share many of the same issues. We share a border, and criminals cross that border, so we need to work together. She is also an active member of the all-party group. Chris Murray—another active and excellent member of the Home Affairs Committee—really knows what he is talking about. I want to talk to him about independent child trafficking advocates, because we want them rolled out everywhere.
The final Back-Bench contribution was from Tom Hayes, who talked about his great experience. It is wonderful that we have so much experience in this House.
I thank everybody for taking part. The voices of the victims have come through in the debate, and we must never, ever forget them. I want to work across the parties on this issue, as we always have, to keep delivering for those victims. We owe it to them.
Question put and agreed to.
Resolved,
That this House
has considered the tenth anniversary of the Modern Slavery Act 2015.
The Opening Speech is the first speech in a debate. The MP who has moved, or proposed, the motion outlines their view of why the House should adopt the motion.
The Deputy speaker is in charge of proceedings of the House of Commons in the absence of the Speaker.
The deputy speaker's formal title is Chairman of Ways and Means, one of whose functions is to preside over the House of Commons when it is in a Committee of the Whole House.
The deputy speaker also presides over the Budget.
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.