Ministers have conceded that existing legislation fails to protect people from modern day slavery and have agreed to criminalise forced labour and forced servitude in the Coroners and Justice Bill.
Baroness Young, who tabled an amendment proposed by Anti-Slavery International and Liberty, described to Peers the reality of modern day slavery in the UK.
She said: "Victims may be subjected to unacceptable living conditions and forced to work for 12 or more hours a day. They are also frequently subjected to vicious psychological abuse and to threats which keep them effectively imprisoned."
Lord Tunnicliffe told peers that the Government had been given examples over the summer of forced labour and forced servitude from the Gangmasters Licensing Authority and the UK Human Trafficking Centre.
He said: "There can be no doubt about the appalling treatment and working conditions found in these cases, some of which were harrowing. They describe victims who have been trafficked for exploitation, threatened, assaulted and blackmailed. They also describe unsafe and overcrowded working conditions, illegal wage deductions and forged contracts."
Anti-Slavery International and Liberty had met with Ministers to explain that a change in the law was needed to protect over 1,000 people estimated to be in forced labour in the UK.
Lord Tunnicliffe said while the Government believed existing legislation went someway to deal with the issue of forced labour he conceded "prosecutions might be easier if an offence existed that clearly encompassed all of the elements that comprise servitude or forced labour".
The House of Lords will vote on a revised amendment at the third reading of the bill next week.
The full debate from the House of Lords can be found at:
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200809/ldhansrd/text/91028-0004.htm#09102836000130
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