Photo by Kate Krivanec on Unsplash
On January 22nd, the Joint Committee on Human Rights held an inquiry to assess the UK’s response to forced labour in global supply chains. With cemented evidence of systematic forced labour in Xinjiang, China, the inquiry focused on the critical gaps in the Modern Slavery Act and the necessity of new legislative measures. Witnesses included Rahima Mahmut, UK Director of the World Uyghur Congress, Michael Rudin, Executive Producer of BBC Eye Investigations, and Professor Alexander Trautrims, Associate Director of the Rights Lab at the University of Nottingham. Together, they presented a compelling case for strengthening the UK’s regulatory framework to prevent goods produced through forced labour from infiltrating domestic markets.
Central to the discussion was the Modern Slavery Act’s failure to prevent forced labour-linked imports from Xinjiang, as it relies on self-reported audits and lacks meaningful enforcement mechanisms. Witnesses underscored how this framework allows goods tainted by forced labour to enter UK supply chains unchecked. Rahima Mahmut highlighted the effectiveness of the US Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA), which has successfully barred high-risk goods, as a model for robust legislation. Michael Rudin exposed the widespread mislabelling of goods and the opacity of supply chains, making enforcement nearly impossible under current laws. Professor Trautrims emphasised the unfair competitive advantage unethical companies enjoy in the absence of stricter regulations, further disadvantageous to businesses committed to transparency and ethical practices.
The inquiry strongly indicated that a recommendation for an Xinjiang-specific import ban is imminent. Such a ban, combined with mandatory human rights due diligence and stricter transparency requirements, would address systemic failures in the Modern Slavery Act. Witnesses argued that these measures would align the UK with global counterparts like the US and EU, while eliminating the economic incentives for companies to exploit forced labour. An import ban would not only uphold ethical standards but also create a level playing field for responsible businesses, ensuring supply chain resilience and accountability.
The Committee’s conclusions are expected to mark a turning point in the UK’s approach to forced labour. With a growing consensus that the current framework is inadequate, a decisive recommendation for an import ban would reflect the urgency of addressing this issue. The UK now faces a pivotal choice: to lead in combating forced labour or risk remaining an outlier in the global fight against exploitation.
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