4. Will the First Minister make a statement on Welsh Government action to tackle forced labour in Wales? OAQ(51050)

Yes. We’re committed to working with police and crime commissioners and partners to tackle slavery, which includes forced labour. In March, we launched our ethical employment in supply chains code of practice to make supply chains transparent and prevent exploitation of workers—a first, indeed, for Wales and for the UK.

I thank you for that answer. The National Crime Agency recently said that modern day slavery or forced labour is now so widespread that ordinary people are likely to come unwittingly into contact with victims every single day, and those victims will be found within the key industries, particularly highlighting agriculture, domestic and social care, fishing, food processing, car washing, and construction. Currently, under the Modern Slavery Act 2015, only companies with an annual turnover of £36 million a year have to declare what steps they have taken to stop slavery within their supply chains. I think you will agree that most companies in Wales do not reach the threshold. So, First Minister, what discussions have you had with the anti-slavery co-ordinator from Wales about his proposals for a code of practice that companies could sign up to voluntarily?

Well, we did launch the code of practice on ethical employment and supply chains in March. That was aimed at supporting businesses to make supply chains transparent and to prevent workers from being exploited. As I said, that’s a first for both Wales and the UK. I know that the Wales anti-slavery leadership group is raising the issue of slavery through training and awareness raising, because—and I know she is passionate about this—we want to make sure that Wales is hostile to slavery.

First Minister, the anti-slavery co-ordinator for Wales, Stephen Chapman, has admitted that there could be cases of modern-day slavery within the Welsh social care sector. He’s actually stated that, somewhere down the line, this is going on. Across such a large sector in Wales, problems may well be further down the public supply chain. What action are you taking to ensure that, where services are provided by our public bodies in Wales, there is a distinct and robust measure to prevent any form of modern-day slavery in Wales?

Well, through the training, of course, that I’ve already indicated that the leadership group has taken forward, and secondly, of course, through the code of practice itself. I know that the co-ordinator is passionate in terms of ensuring that we drive slavery out, even where it is hidden, of course, in some organisations. She mentions the social care sector. She wasn’t claiming to have evidence, in fairness, that that happened, but she was quoting what might be happening in Wales. We work very closely with the co-ordinator to make sure that Wales, as I say, becomes hostile to slavery.

First Minister, some time ago I brought to your attention the plight of those immigrants who are forced to work in the car valeting trade. I highlighted that they were working for less than £3.50 an hour, 10 hours a day, seven days a week—in effect, under slave labour conditions. Your reply at the time was that this did not fall in the remit of the Welsh Government. Well, given that the problem of slave labour in Wales in a growing one—47 cases reported in 2014, 71 in 2015 and 124 cases in 2016—is it not now incumbent upon the Welsh Government to use all its powers to intervene, including levering local government to explore the possibility of closing down these iniquitous facilities?

Well, local government already has that power, of course, in terms of its trading standards obligations. If the Member has evidence that that is happening, I’ll be pleased to look at that evidence and then pass it on to the appropriate prosecuting authority. What he describes is unacceptable, but it’s hugely important that there is evidence to be able to take this forward, eventually, or hopefully, of course, to a successful prosecution.