MSPs lobbied by charity ahead of human trafficking debate
MSPs approve human trafficking law
(about 5 hours later)
MSPs are to be lobbied by a charity ahead of a final debate on legislation to tackle human trafficking.
MSPs have unanimously approved new legislation designed to tackle human trafficking in Scotland.
ECPAT UK, which campaigns to protect children from trafficking and transnational abuse, wants the law to be as "robust as possible".
The Human Trafficking and Exploitation (Scotland) Bill establishes human trafficking as a specific offence.
It has backed an amendment which would ensure children who are trafficked by their own parents are assigned an independent guardian.
It also increases the punishment for offenders to a maximum life sentence and ensures more support for victims.
If passed, the new law will establish a single offence of human trafficking.
Justice Secretary Michael Matheson told the Scottish Parliament that it should be "very proud" of passing the legislation.
The Scottish government's Human Trafficking and Exploitation Bill will also increase the maximum penalty for offenders to life imprisonment.
He said it would demonstrate to those who want to "peddle in the misery of human trafficking" that they are not welcome in Scotland.
ECPAT UK will hand over a 6,000 signature petition - calling for measures protecting all children to be included in the bill - to the Scottish Parliament.
The charity's Chloe Setter said: "This is a landmark opportunity for MSPs to pledge their support for children, who are the most vulnerable of all to human trafficking.
"We urge them to make sure Scotland's legislation is as strong as it can be to protect all children from exploitation and punish those who seek to abuse and enslave them."
