Current status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 12 September 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Home Office regarding any human trafficking in the fishing sector.
Any form of human trafficking or exploitation is completely unacceptable. Police Scotland’s specialist National Human Trafficking Unit continues to work closely with partners across the UK and internationally to tackle human trafficking. This includes the International Trade Workers Federation, Home Office, and HM Maritime and Coastguard Agency. The Scottish Government has consistently opposed the inappropriate use of transit visas as means of accessing non-UK labour in the fishing industry, and reports of migrant labour exploitation within the sector are concerning. The Scottish Government does not support an immigration system which increases the risks for forced labour and exploitation of migrant workers. Sector specific concessions and visa routes are only temporary fixes adding unnecessary complexity to the immigration system. The Scottish Government wrote to the previous UK Government last year, outlining concerns regarding the immigration system’s poor suitability in addressing skills shortages within the fishing industry. We will continue engaging with the new UK Government on the need for a fair immigration system that meets Scotland’s unique economic and demographic circumstances.