The Government welcomes the work of the Solar Stewardship Initiative (SSI) in promoting transparency and accountability within the solar supply chain through the use of assessments driven by independent audits. However, procurement decisions are not made solely on the basis of SSI assessments, and the Government has no intention of moving in this direction. Under the Procurement Act 2023, public sector contracting authorities are empowered to act independently to reject bids or terminate contracts with suppliers found to be using forced labour in their supply chains. Procurement Policy Note 009 (“Tackling modern slavery in government supply chains”) reinforces the need for in-scope organisations to embed modern slavery due diligence levers across the full commercial lifecycle. As a state-owned company, Great British Energy will exemplify first-in-class adherence to the UK’s legislative and policy framework aimed at combatting modern slavery. Following the amendment to the Great British Energy Act and the JCHR announcing this inquiry, GBE are recruiting a senior ethical supply chain lead with day-to-day responsibility for embedding standards into procurement. This individual will work closely with Baroness O’Grady, who is GBE’s Non-Executive Director for ethical supply chains. JCHR Recommendation 27 27. The Government should evaluate the work of the Solar Taskforce to determine why the Solar Roadmap did not provide any further information on supply chains than that which was already publicly available, despite years of work and the establishment of a specific sub-group on supply chains. (Paragraph 257) Government Response The Solar Taskforce brought together government and industry to identify the actions needed to support the accelerated deployment of solar energy. Both Government and industry are united in the belief that forced labour in the solar supply chain is a stain that must be addressed head-on. However, as the JCHR’s inquiry has rightly concluded, forced labour is an issue that cuts across several sectors, and as such it was beyond the scope of the Solar Roadmap to provide recommendations for new policy measures to tackle forced labour across supply chains more broadly. Work continues across government to deliver a solution to the problem of forced labour in supply chains–regardless of industry, sector, or origin. For example, the Responsible Business Conduct (RBC) review will look across the UK’s policy and legislative regime, including considering the effectiveness of current measures, to ensure that forced labour is tackled in a comprehensive manner. JCHR Recommendation 28 28. The Government should urgently address the omissions in the Solar Roadmap in relation to global supply chains and develop a viable strategy to address the risks of forced labour in the UK’s solar supply chain. In developing this strategy, government should engage with trade bodies, relevant NGOs, academics, civil society organisations and survivors of forced labour. (Paragraph 258) Government Response The Government recognises the scale and complexity of the solar supply chain, as well as the significant challenge of eradicating the scourge of forced labour across all sectors. As part of our commitment under the Solar Roadmap, we are working collaboratively with a broad range of stakeholders, including civil society organisations, to develop and implement lasting and evidence-based solutions. Furthermore, the Government will continue to monitor and interrogate the effectiveness of the Solar Stewardship Initiative as it is rolled out, alongside other relevant standards, ensuring that they are fit for purpose, and we will not hesitate to take further action if necessary. To support this work, the Solar Council will serve as a key vehicle for dialogue between government and industry to evaluate progress against the Roadmap’s recommendations. Where necessary, the Council may convene ad-hoc working groups to accelerate action on specific challenges. 16 Access to justice for survivors JCHR Recommendation 29 29. The Government should implement the recommendation of the JCHR’s 2017 report. A civil cause of action of failure to prevent forced labour should be created, with the burden placed on the relevant corporation to prove that they had adequate procedure in place to prevent such forced labour. It would be a defence for the corporation to demonstrate that they did have adequate procedures in place, for example due diligence processes. Those corporations which could not discharge that burden would be liable to pay compensation to the victims. (Paragraph 271) Government Response The RBC review will consider the effectiveness of the UK’s current regime and alternative means of supporting responsible business practices. A range of measures will be considered as part of the review, including consideration of measures that introduce a ‘failure to prevent’ obligation related to forced labour, amongst other harms. We have also estab