The Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner, Dame Sara Thornton, has published her Annual Report for 2019-2020. The Annual Report has been laid before Parliament today by the Secretary of State (Home Secretary) in accordance with the Modern Slavery Act (2015).

The Annual Report outlines the Commissioner’s work so far to achieve her objectives as outlined in the Strategic Plan 2019-2021, within the four priority areas of: improving victim care and support; supporting law enforcement and prosecutions; focusing on prevention; and getting value from research and innovation.

Read the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner’s Annual Report 2019-2020

Dame Sara Thornton, Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner, said:

“The Modern Slavery Act (2015) sets out my role to encourage good practice across the UK and my strategic plan set out how I planned to do that. This report is structured around the four priorities in the strategic plan and details my activities over eleven months from my appointment in May 2019.

“More victims of modern slavery are being identified and protected but there are still too many weaknesses in the systems. In particular, we need to do more to ensure that those who have suffered from the most egregious criminal acts are supported to become survivors leading lives of sustainable independence. Ever-longer delays in decision-making within the National Referral Mechanism must be addressed and I hope the new NRM Transformation Programme ensures a more needs-based, end-to-end system of support. Timely, quality decision making must be a fundamental aspect of this.

Read more here.