Stephen Townsend

Deputy Head of Mission, British Embassy to the Holy See

Guest blogger for Nigel Baker

Part of UK in Holy See

6th August 2015

Modern Slavery and the UK

The Home Secretary and Pope Francis
The Home Secretary Theresa May and Pope Francis, Vatican City (April 2014)

The UK’s Modern Slavery Act came into force on 31 July  This landmark legislation brought into law some important new provisions. These include mechanisms to seize traffickers assets and use those funds to help compensate victims, prevention orders to ensure that those who pose a risk of committing modern slavery offences cannot work sectors where they will be in contact with vulnerable people such as children, a statutory defence for victims of slavery or trafficking forced to commit criminal offenses, and the provision of child trafficking advocates. It also established an Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner, with a remit to work across the UK to coordinate the efforts of law enforcement agencies, local authorities and other organisations. The first Commissioner is Kevin Hyland, previously the head of the Metropolitan Police’s Human Trafficking Unit, who has great experience in working with slavery victims and prosecuting traffickers. In addition, the British Prime Minister, David Cameron announced last week that all UK companies with a turnover of over £36 million would be required to publish an annual  slavery and human trafficking statement, which must describe the steps they have taken to ensure that slavery and human trafficking is not taking place in any of their supply chains or their own business.

Modern slavery is an international problem, and it needs an international solution. Pope Francis described it as “a crime against humanity”, and the work of the Holy See has been key in raising global awareness. The elimination of the trade requires greater cooperation between countries and authorities, better education for those at risk of being taken away and exploited (and their families), easier repatriation and resettlement of victims, and more control and policing of supply chains.  Governments, businesses,faith leaders, NGOs and individuals all have their roles to play.

The Santa Marta Group, launched in April 2014 by the Home Secretary at a conference organised by the Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales (CBCEW), and which brought together law enforcement authorities from both source and destination countries, paved the way for concrete cooperation.  The joint work between the CBCEW and the London Metropolitan Police on assisting victimshas been hailed as an example to follow.

As the Prime Minister has said, “The scourge of human trafficking has no place in today’s society”. The ILO has estimated that there are about 21 million slaves in the world today – 21 million good reasons to take firm and effective action globally.

About Nigel Baker

Nigel was British Ambassador to the Holy See from 2011-2016. He presented his Credentials to Pope Benedict XVI on 9 September 2011, after serving 8 years in Latin America, as…

Nigel was British Ambassador to the Holy See from 2011-2016. He presented his Credentials to Pope Benedict XVI on 9 September 2011, after serving 8 years in Latin America, as Deputy Head of Mission in the British Embassy in Havana, Cuba (2003-6) and then as British Ambassador in La Paz, Bolivia (2007-11). In July 2016, Nigel finished his posting, and is currently back in London.

As the first British Ambassador to the Holy See ever to have a blog, Nigel provided a regular window on what the Embassy and the Ambassador does. The blogs covered a wide range of issues, from Royal and Ministerial visits to Diplomacy and Faith, freedom of religion, human trafficking and climate change.

More on Nigel’s career

Nigel was based in London between 1998 and 2003. He spent two years on European Union issues (for the UK 1998 EU Presidency and on European Security and Defence questions), before crossing St James’s Park to work for three years as The Assistant Private Secretary to His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. At St James’s Palace, Nigel worked on international issues, including the management of The Prince of Wales’s overseas visits and tours, on the Commonwealth, interfaith issues, the arts and international development.

Nigel spent much of the early part of his FCO career in Central Europe, after an initial stint as Desk Officer for the Maghreb countries in the Near East and North Africa department (1990-91). Between 1992 and 1996, Nigel served in the British embassies in Prague and Bratislava, the latter being created in 1993 after the peaceful division of Czechoslovakia into the separate Czech and Slovak Republics.

Nigel joined the FCO (Foreign and Commonwealth Office) in September 1989. Between 1996 and 1998 he took a two year academic sabbatical to research and write about themes in 18th century European history, being based in Verona but also researching in Cambridge, Paris and Naples. The research followed from Nigel’s time as a student at Cambridge (1985-88) where he read history and was awarded a First Class Honours degree, followed by his MA in 1992.

Before joining the Foreign Office, Nigel worked briefly for the Conservative Research Department in London at the time of the 1989 European election campaign.

Nigel married Alexandra (Sasha) in 1997. They have one son, Benjamin, born in Bolivia in September 2008.

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