North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood has called for a Welsh Government Statement on human trafficking through Wales ahead of a North Wales event next weekend, which will raise awareness about the real issues of trafficking and exploitation.
Mr Isherwood, who last week highlighted concerns in the Assembly Chamber that human trafficking through Holyhead port is getting worse, this week raised the issue in the Business Statement.
Speaking in the Assembly Chamber, he said:
“Could I call for a statement on slavery and human trafficking through Wales? Last week, I questioned the Communities Secretary over human trafficking through Holyhead port, referring to the findings of the North Wales Police serious and organised crime local profile modern-day slavery report.
“In his response, he said we’re the only part of the country - I think he meant the UK - that has an Anti-Human Trafficking Co-ordinator, although the UK has in fact had an Independent Anti-slavery Commissioner since 2015, and North Wales lost its North Wales Anti-slavery Co-ordinator after its three-year funding expired, which had been funded by Welsh Government through local statutory agencies.
“I’m told that the trafficking route from Romania to France to Dublin to Holyhead Port is a huge issue, that the manifests on the ferries are inaccurate, with names being made up, that the situation is getting worse, but not enough victims, desperate to be found, are being found, that there’s no safe house, reception centre, or facilities in north Wales, and, as I said, we lost the Regional Co-ordinator.
“Given that next Saturday a non-profit organisation called Haven of Light, working with North Wales Police, Conwy Voluntary Sector Council and community and faith groups, are holding a big event in St Asaph Cathedral to raise awareness among the North Wales community about the real issues of trafficking and exploitation, I hope we can have a more thorough response from the Welsh Government that details what actions you are taking singly, and also jointly with UK Government and other agencies.”
The Leader of the House, Jane Hutt AM, replied:
“The Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Children responded to this last week, and indeed I did in questions on the Business Statement, in terms of the action that the Welsh Government is taking. It does have the Anti-human Trafficking Co-ordinator - the first in the UK - but is working very closely with the UK Government, because many of the issues you raise are, of course, the responsibility of the Home Office. It is about joint working and a joint leadership group, which of course we are fully engaged with, as we are also with the Police and Crime Commissioners.”
Mr Isherwood added: ““I regret that she failed to acknowledge or address the serious and substantive matters that I raised with her.”