(Stoke-on-Trent Central)
(Lab/Co-op): To their credit, the Government have
led on the reduction of modern slavery. The Modern Slavery Act
2015 and the announcement by the Home Office are welcome, but the
Leader of the House will know that the noble ’s Bill, the Modern Slavery
(Victim Support) Bill, is currently languishing at the bottom of
the list of private Members’ Bills on Fridays. Could I encourage
her, through her offices, to use whatever mechanism might be
available to her to allow the Bill to progress at least to
Committee? Many Members across the House would wish to support
it, and I know that the Government, given their particular
wording earlier in the year, would want to offer their support as
well.
(Leader of the House of
Commons) (Con): I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman
for raising the importance of private Members’ Bills. The
Government certainly support the need for them and are very keen
to ensure that progress is made. He will be aware that I have
tabled a revised motion to give the House an additional six
sitting Fridays for private Members’ Bills and that the
Opposition have tabled an amendment to that motion to reduce it
back to five. I remain very keen for the House to have those
additional days to debate private Members’ Bills, and discussions
continue through the usual channels.
