In 2015 the Modern Slavery Act, the Human Trafficking and Exploitation (Criminal Justice and Support for Victims) Act (Northern Ireland), and the Human Trafficking and Exploitation (Scotland) Act entered into force in the UK. These Acts have introduced new offense of human trafficking and other forms of modern slavery, as well as a raft of provisions aimed at preventing modern slavery and protecting its victims.

The purpose of this research was to review and compare the key provisions in these three Acts, to assess the extent to which they contribute to the UK’s implementation of the 2005 Council of Europe Trafficking Convention and EU Trafficking Directive, and the extent of their implementation to date. The report considers whether the Acts have better equipped the UK to tackle modern slavery. The research was undertaken through a combination of desk research, parliamentary questions and interviews with key stakeholders.