Forced labour in UK value chains

Business and Trade Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 18 Sep 2020 Closed: 27 Sep 2021 Parliament page
The BEIS Committee is holding an inquiry which will explore the extent to which business in the UK are exploiting the forced labour of Uyghurs in the Xinjiang region of China. The Committee will investigate the risks that UK based businesses face when engaging supply chains that originate in China … Read more
7 Recommendations
10 Conclusions
1 Report
1 Oral session
22 Letters
1 Event
Activity timeline 26 events
8 Jul
2021
Correspondence
14 Jun
2021
Correspondence
10 Jun
2021
Report published
10 Jun
2021
Correspondence
27 Apr
2021
Correspondence
27 Apr
2021
Correspondence
27 Apr
2021
Correspondence
17 Mar
2021
Report published
11 Dec
2020
Correspondence
5 Nov
2020
Oral evidence
5 Nov
2020
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 6, Palace of Westminster
16 Oct
2020
Correspondence
Oral evidence sessions 1 session
5 Nov 2020
View on parliament.uk
Forced labour in UK value chains
Andrew Reaney · boohoo group David Sävman · H&M Group Elizabeth Kanter · TikTok Hendrik Alpen · H&M Group Jaycee Pribulsky · Nike Maajid Nawaz · Quilliam International Michael Warren · Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Paul Scully MP · Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Sean Cady · VF Corporation
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Fifth Report - Uyghur forced labour in Xinjiang and UK value cha… HC 1272 17 Mar 2021 17 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
17 results
1 Conclusion
Fifth Report - Uyghur forced labou…
Given that evidence of serious human rights abuses in Xinjiang has been widely reported over...
Given that evidence of serious human rights abuses in Xinjiang has been widely reported over many years, we are appalled that companies still cannot guarantee that their supply chains are free from forced labour. We found that many companies asserted … Read more
Government Response
The Government would like to thank the Committee for setting out its recommendations to businesses (recommendations 1–5). The Government would also like to thank the businesses that that provided written … Read more
Department for Business and Trade
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2 Conclusion
Fifth Report - Uyghur forced labou…
It is clearly unacceptable that Boohoo was found to have only minimal data about the...
It is clearly unacceptable that Boohoo was found to have only minimal data about the different tiers in their supply chain, resulting in labour abuses in the UK. Boohoo and other companies need to accurately audit their supply chains both … Read more
Government Response
The Government would like to thank the Committee for setting out its recommendations to businesses (recommendations 1–5). The Government would also like to thank the businesses that that provided written … Read more
Department for Business and Trade
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3 Conclusion
Fifth Report - Uyghur forced labou…
We welcome TikTok’s offer to review its algorithm, and we will visit their offices to...
We welcome TikTok’s offer to review its algorithm, and we will visit their offices to do so with an expert team as soon as is possible. Meanwhile, we remain deeply concerned about the flow of information between TikTok UK, its … Read more
Government Response
The Government would like to thank the Committee for setting out its recommendations to businesses (recommendations 1–5). The Government would also like to thank the businesses that that provided written … Read more
Department for Business and Trade
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4 Conclusion
Fifth Report - Uyghur forced labou…
We are deeply disappointed that The Walt Disney Company declined our invitation to give oral...
We are deeply disappointed that The Walt Disney Company declined our invitation to give oral evidence, and to engage meaningfully with our inquiry. The Walt Disney Company has a responsibility to demonstrate that none of their actions supported oppression or … Read more
Government Response
The Government would like to thank the Committee for setting out its recommendations to businesses (recommendations 1–5). The Government would also like to thank the businesses that that provided written … Read more
Department for Business and Trade
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5 Conclusion
Fifth Report - Uyghur forced labou…
We believe the Department must do more to meet its commitments to uphold human rights,...
We believe the Department must do more to meet its commitments to uphold human rights, particularly in relation to businesses with links to China. While transparency of supply chain legislation falls under the remit of the Home Office, business transactions … Read more
Government Response
The Government would like to thank the Committee for setting out its recommendations to businesses (recommendations 1–5). The Government would also like to thank the businesses that that provided written … Read more
Department for Business and Trade
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6 Recommendation
Fifth Report - Uyghur forced labou…
We recommend that the Department reviews the Company Directors Disqualification Act (1986) to determine whether...
We recommend that the Department reviews the Company Directors Disqualification Act (1986) to determine whether breaches of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 obligations on companies and directors should be the basis for future disqualification for company registration or director duties. … Read more
Department for Business and Trade
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7 Recommendation
Fifth Report - Uyghur forced labou…
The Government cannot stand idly by while some companies keep operating with wilful blindness.
The Government cannot stand idly by while some companies keep operating with wilful blindness. We recommend the creation of a Director-led working group within the Department to tackle the ongoing lack of transparency in supply chains specifically linked to the … Read more
Department for Business and Trade
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8 Recommendation
Fifth Report - Uyghur forced labou…
In addition, we call on the Government to report to the Committee on the feasibility...
In addition, we call on the Government to report to the Committee on the feasibility and legal basis of further measures in respect of supply chains linked to Xinjiang, including i) a whitelist of companies that have taken significant and … Read more
Department for Business and Trade
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9 Conclusion
Fifth Report - Uyghur forced labou…
The Transparency in Supply Chains legislation in the Modern Slavery Act was important when it...
The Transparency in Supply Chains legislation in the Modern Slavery Act was important when it was first introduced, but it has not kept pace with changes in business supply chains. The Modern Slavery Act is out of date, has no … Read more
Government Response
The Transparency in Supply Chains legislation in the Modern Slavery Act 2015 established the UK as the first country in the world to require businesses to report annually on their … Read more
Department for Business and Trade
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10 Conclusion
Fifth Report - Uyghur forced labou…
The Department’s commitment to working with other ministries to strengthen the Modern Slavery Act and...
The Department’s commitment to working with other ministries to strengthen the Modern Slavery Act and Transparency in Supply Chain legislation is welcome. However, there is little evidence that BEIS-specific issues around corporate governance and audit regulations are being given sufficient … Read more
Government Response
The Government notes this conclusion. BEIS has worked with the Home Office to support the further development of the Section 54 (Transparency in Supply Chains provisions) in the Modern Slavery … Read more
Department for Business and Trade
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11 Recommendation
Fifth Report - Uyghur forced labou…
We are disappointed by the Government’s refusal to commit to a clear timetable for making...
We are disappointed by the Government’s refusal to commit to a clear timetable for making changes to the Modern Slavery Act. We recommend that the Government strengthen the supply chain transparency obligations for companies and introduce tough fines for non-compliance … Read more
Department for Business and Trade
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12 Recommendation
Fifth Report - Uyghur forced labou…
We further recommend that the Government a) accelerate its plans to extend the reporting requirement...
We further recommend that the Government a) accelerate its plans to extend the reporting requirement to public bodies, b) enhance the transparency and accessibility of modern slavery statements, and c) develop options for civil penalties for non-compliance. We ask the … Read more
Department for Business and Trade
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13 Conclusion
Fifth Report - Uyghur forced labou…
We are disappointed that Magnitsky sanctions have not yet been imposed on Chinese officials implicated...
We are disappointed that Magnitsky sanctions have not yet been imposed on Chinese officials implicated in human rights abuses in Xinjiang. Given that the US Government has imposed such targeted sanctions, we do not accept the argument that the UK … Read more
Government Response
13. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has worked with the Home Office to support the further development of the section 54 (Transparency in Supply Chains) provisions in … Read more
Department for Business and Trade
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14 Recommendation
Fifth Report - Uyghur forced labou…
We recommend that the Department, in collaboration with the FCDO and DIT, fully assess the...
We recommend that the Department, in collaboration with the FCDO and DIT, fully assess the options for introducing targeted sanctions against Chinese and international businesses implicated in human rights abuses and the exploitation of Uyghurs in Xinjiang. (Paragraph 68) BEIS … Read more
Department for Business and Trade
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15 Conclusion
Fifth Report - Uyghur forced labou…
We were disappointed that the information provided by the Minister about the deployment of BEIS...
We were disappointed that the information provided by the Minister about the deployment of BEIS Department ODA funding in China only gave a high-level overview of the various research and training programmes taking place in China under the umbrella of … Read more
Government Response
We agree that transparency of BEIS’s ODA funding in China is of particular importance. BEIS is committed to improving the data management and transparency of its ODA funds. In the … Read more
Department for Business and Trade
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16 Recommendation
Fifth Report - Uyghur forced labou…
We recommend that the Department commit to full transparency in terms of its ODA funding...
We recommend that the Department commit to full transparency in terms of its ODA funding being used in China to ensure that no Government funds are being used to underpin human rights abuses. The use of taxpayer funds needs to … Read more
Department for Business and Trade
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17 Conclusion
Fifth Report - Uyghur forced labou…
The Department should also publish a comprehensive supply chain review of Newton Fund-supported projects in...
The Department should also publish a comprehensive supply chain review of Newton Fund-supported projects in China and provide the Committee with a full list of the organisations it works with in administering the Newton Fund and the sums of money … Read more
Government Response
The Department agrees that there is a need for greater transparency in the use of BEIS Newton funds in China and elsewhere. To support this, BEIS is introducing a new … Read more
Department for Business and Trade
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Correspondence 22 letters
8 Jul 2021 To committee Letter from the Minister for Small Business, Consumers and Labour Markets relating to the Committee's report on Uyghur forced labour in Xinjiang and UK value chains
Parliament page
14 Jun 2021 To committee Letter from the Chair and Nusrat Ghani MP to TikTok relating to their invitation to visit TikTok’s Transparency and Accountability Centre
Parliament page
10 Jun 2021 To committee Letter from the Chair and Nusrat Ghani MP to the Minister on the Government's response to the Committee's report on Uyghur forced labour in Xinjiang and UK value chains
Parliament page
27 Apr 2021 To committee Letter from the Chair and Nusrat Ghani MP to The Walt Disney Company regarding evidence submitted to the Forced labour in UK value chains inquiry
Parliament page
27 Apr 2021 To committee Letter from the Corporate Justice Coalition regarding the Committee’s report on Uyghur forced labour in Xinjiang and UK value chains
Parliament page
27 Apr 2021 To committee Letter from The Walt Disney Company to the Chair and Nusrat Ghani MP in response to the Committee’s Forced labour in UK value chains inquiry
Parliament page
11 Dec 2020 To committee Letter from the Chair and Nusrat Ghani MP to Hikvision regarding the Forced labour in UK value chains inquiry
Parliament page
16 Oct 2020 To committee Letter from the Chair and Nusrat Ghani MP to Amazon regarding the forced labour in UK value chains inquiry
Parliament page
16 Oct 2020 To committee Letter from the Chair and Nusrat Ghani MP to BooHoo Group regarding the forced labour in UK value chains inquiry
Parliament page
16 Oct 2020 To committee Letter from the Chair and Nusrat Ghani MP to Gap (Gap Inc.) regarding the forced labour in UK value chains inquiry
Parliament page
16 Oct 2020 To committee Letter from the Chair and Nusrat Ghani MP to H&M Group regarding the forced labour in UK value chains inquiry
Parliament page
16 Oct 2020 To committee Letter from the Chair and Nusrat Ghani MP to IKEA regarding the forced labour in UK value chains inquiry
Parliament page
16 Oct 2020 To committee Letter from the Chair and Nusrat Ghani MP to Marks and Spencer regarding the forced labour in UK value chains inquiry
Parliament page
16 Oct 2020 To committee Letter from the Chair and Nusrat Ghani MP to Nike regarding the forced labour in UK value chains inquiry
Parliament page
16 Oct 2020 To committee Letter from the Chair and Nusrat Ghani MP to Puma regarding the forced labour in UK value chains inquiry
Parliament page
16 Oct 2020 To committee Letter from the Chair and Nusrat Ghani MP to Stella McCartney regarding the forced labour in UK value chains inquiry
Parliament page
16 Oct 2020 To committee Letter from the Chair and Nusrat Ghani MP to The North Face (VF Corporation) regarding the forced labour in UK value chains inquiry
Parliament page
16 Oct 2020 To committee Letter from the Chair and Nusrat Ghani MP to The Walt Disney Company regarding the forced labour in UK value chains inquiry
Parliament page
16 Oct 2020 To committee Letter from the Chair and Nusrat Ghani MP to Victoria’s Secret regarding the forced labour in UK value chains inquiry
Parliament page
16 Oct 2020 To committee Letter from the Chair and Nusrat Ghani MP to TikTok (ByteDance) regarding the forced labour in UK value chains inquiry
Parliament page
16 Oct 2020 To committee Letter from the Chair and Nusrat Ghani MP to Adidas regarding the forced labour in UK value chains inquiry
Parliament page
16 Oct 2020 To committee Letter from the Chair and Nusrat Ghani MP to Zara (Inditex), regarding the forced labour in UK value chains inquiry
Parliament page