Latest News Hestia joins Anti-Slavery International and other organisations calling on government to support Clause 12 Hestia joins Anti-Slavery International and other organisations calling on government to support Clause 12 Read the letter: Dear Editor Last week the House of Lords amended the Immigration and Social Security Bill to prevent confirmed victims of modern slavery who are from the EU experiencing a significant reduction in their rights from 1 January. Peers voted by a majority of 101 for an amendment, introduced by the Conservative Lord McColl, in order to avoid this terrible outcome, which could have sent victims of modern slavery straight back into the hands of their abusers: an egregious unintended consequence of Brexit, which nobody wants. Lord McColl’s modest and decent proposal will give those EU victims who meet certain criteria a limited right to remain in the UK and access public services. Now known as Clause 12 of the amended Bill, it is up for consideration by the House of Commons on Monday 19 October – fittingly, one day after Anti-Slavery Day. Clause 12 should transcend any debate about Brexit and be seen on its own merit as the right and decent thing to do for victims of modern slavery. As Lord McColl noted when introducing the amendment, “the restoration of our sovereignty does not require us to create a situation in which the effective rights of some confirmed victims of modern slavery are diminished”. Five and a half years after the Modern Slavery Act passed into law, we hope the Government and MPs will give Clause 12 their full support. Clause 12 addresses a serious injustice that would affect European nationals – but all victims of modern slavery, including British nationals, need guaranteed support. That is why we are also calling on the government to make time for both Houses of Parliament to consider the Modern Slavery (Victim Support) Bill, which would guarantee support for all victims of modern slavery following identification. This Bill, which is co-sponsored by Lord McColl and the former Conservative leader, the Rt Hon Sir Iain Duncan Smith MP, has been awaiting its Second Reading in the House of Lords since January. Between the Bill and Clause 12, the Government now has two opportunities to make sure Britain can stand as a beacon for freedom from slavery. Victims are counting upon it to do the right thing. Yours sincerely, Jasmine O’Connor OBE, CEO, Anti- Slavery InternationalNola Leach, Chief Executive, CAREChristian Guy, CEO, Justice and CareAndy Cook, CEO, the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ)Andrew Wallis OBE, CEO, UnseenRed Godfrey Sagoo, CEO, The Sophie Hayes FoundationMinh Dang, Director, Survivor AlliancePhilip Ishola, CEO, Love 146Kerry Smith, Chief Executive Officer, Helen Bamber FoundationVictoria Marks, Director, ATLEUEmily Chalke, Co-Director, Ella’sKaren Anstiss, Service Manager, Caritas Bakhita HouseDr Julia Tomas Anti-Slavery Coordinator, The PassageRita Gava, Director, KalayaanLiisa Wiseman, Project Manager, Birmingham Methodist District’s Adavu ProjectMarissa Begonia, Director, The Voice of Domestic WorkersPatrick Ryan, CEO, HestiaNicola Lambe, Chief Executive, Ashiana SheffieldBaldish Sohal, Head of Modern Slavery Support Services, Black Country Women’s AidCaroline O’Connor, Chief Executive Officer, Migrant HelpDavid Westlake, CEO, IJM UKLara Bundock, CEO, The Snowdrop ProjectLuke de Pulford, CEO, The Arise FoundationGarry Smith, Chief Executive, Medaille TrustBen Cooley, CEO, Hope for JusticeCaroline Virgo, Director, The Clewer InitiativeDebbie Ariyo OBE, Chair BME Anti-Slavery Network (BASNET)Patricia Durr, Chief Executive, ECPAT UKSteve Murrells, Chief Executive – Co-op GroupYvonne Hall, Managing Director, Palm Cove SocietyLouise Gore, Equiano Project Manager, JerichoLucila Granada, Chief Executive Officer, FLEXKate Roberts, Chair, Anti-Trafficking Monitoring Group (ATMG)Katharine Bryant, Lead of European Engagement, Walk FreeKathy Betteridge, Major. Director Anti Trafficking & Modern Slavery. The Salvation ArmyPeter Andrews, Head of Sustainability Policy, British Retail Consortium (BRC)Baroness Young of HornseyLord McColl of DulwichAnthony Steen CBE, creator of the Bill for Anti-Slavery DayLord John Randall of Uxbridge Manage Cookie Preferences