The Law Society have criticised some aspects of the new Modern Slavery Billy at a parliamentary committee hearing, saying it fails to safeguard victims and lacks clarity.
The criticisms, contained in a report put together by the Society, were submitted to the committee at the House of Commons who have been convened to consider the Modern Slavery bill following its second reading.
The bill will be the first of its kind in Europe and one of the first attempts globally to address slavery and trafficking, if it is approved.
It will hope to establish an anti-slavery commissioner and consolidate all current offences relating to trafficking and slavery into a simpler set of laws.
Although the Society supports the idea of a Modern Slavery bill, they have raised concerns about inadequate safeguards for survivor victims.
The Society’s President Andrew Caplen said: “We applaud the government for taking seriously the ongoing problem of modern slavery, and also their plans to address the issue, but have reservations about the effectiveness of the proposals.
“With the British government leading the way on modern slavery legislation, it is of paramount importance that the bill safeguards victims effectively and sets an example in this field”
In the report the Society say that bill has a lack of clarity, precision and simplicity and fears that some criminal activity in relation to modern slavery will either not be caught by the provisions, or that the hurdles required to overcome in mounting a prosecution will prevent effective law enforcement.
It has also concerns that the offence clauses in the bill are currently too complex and do not reflect international definitions of trafficking and forced labour.
A decision is expected to be taken later this year by Parliament as to whether the bill is written into law.