Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner

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The Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner is a position created by the Modern Slavery Act 2015.

Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner IndependentAntiSlaveryCommissioner.png
Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner

The role complements the existing role of Victims' Commissioner to ensure that modern slavery issues are tackled in a coordinated and effective manner across the UK. The role involves working closely with law enforcement agencies, local authorities, third sector organisations and internationally to encourage good practice in the identification of victims and the prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of modern slavery crimes, including international collaboration. The role requires published annual reports for Parliamentary scrutiny. [1] [2]

The Modern Slavery Act 2015 provides the home secretary's power to appoint a person to the role. [3]

Commissioners

CommissionerTook officeLeft officePeriodAppointed by
KevinHyland.jpg Kevin Hyland [2] November 2014
(initially as 'designate' Commissioner)
May 2018 [4] 3 years and 6 months Theresa May
VacantMay 2018May 20191 year
Dame Sara Thornton.jpg Sara Thornton [5] May 2019April 20222 years and 11 months Sajid Javid
Vacant [6] April 2022December 20231 year and 8 months
Portrait Placeholder.png Eleanor Lyons [7] December 2023 Suella Braverman

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References

  1. Profile, gov.uk; accessed 6 February 2015.
  2. 1 2 Home Office (13 November 2014). "UK's first independent anti-slavery commissioner announced". gov.uk. Retrieved 6 September 2018.
  3. "Modern Slavery Act 2015: Section 40", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, 2015 c. 30 (s. 40), retrieved 11 October 2023, (1)The Secretary of State must, after consulting the Scottish Ministers and the Department of Justice in Northern Ireland, appoint a person as the Independent Anti-slavery Commissioner
  4. "Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner: letter of resignation". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2019-09-05.
  5. "New Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner announced". GOV.UK. 22 February 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2023. Sara Thornton to take up role to help combat modern slavery.
  6. "Home Office accused of deliberately leaving anti-slavery post unfilled". The Guardian. 29 August 2022. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  7. "Home Secretary announces new Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner". GOV.UK. 11 October 2023. Retrieved 11 October 2023. Eleanor Lyons will take up the role to help combat modern slavery... The appointment is designated for a fixed period of three years, with Ms Lyons taking up the role from 11 December 2023