Government Supply Chains: Cotton

Question

11:07:00

Asked by

To ask His Majesty’s Government, following the publication of A Guide for commercial and procurement professionals regarding tackling modern slavery by the Government Commercial Function in March 2024, whether they have identified any products in government supply chains containing cotton grown in Xinjiang, China.

My Lords, before I answer the substantive Question, I want to be clear that abhorrent human rights abuses—including modern slavery and human trafficking—have no place in public supply chains. They affect not only our values and moral standing as a nation but the integrity of our procurement routes. The Cabinet Office does not centrally hold any specific data on the country of origin of cotton-containing products within government supply chains. As has been referenced, there is extensive guidance for commercial teams to assess the risks and impacts associated with modern slavery. The Government are committed to continuing strong action in this area. The updated national procurement policy statement was published in February 2025. The NPPS sets out the Government’s strategic public procurement priorities. As part of these priorities, contracting authorities should have regard to ensuring their suppliers are actively working to tackle modern slavery and human rights violations.

I thank my noble friend the Minister for that Answer, but is she aware that 22% of the world’s raw cotton is grown in the Xinjiang region of China? China is a world leader in hiding supply chains to obscure the supply. In some countries, half of their cotton products are actually made from cotton grown in Xinjiang. Why have both Governments stuck to paper-based tracing systems and the word of traders when it is possible to use forensic element analysis of products to find out which region they were grown in? We have been taken for a ride by China in this respect, because we are not using modern technology. If it is good enough not to buy solar panels from Xinjiang, it is damn well good enough not to wear cotton products made from cotton grown by slave labour.

My Lords, I thank my noble friend for the Question, for the work he has done and for raising this on several occasions. Of course we need to use new technology, but I want to be clear that the Government spend £385 billion across the public service every year. My noble friend is absolutely right about being able to assess where all cotton comes from; we will be able to determine where it came from, but not who cut it, so it will get us only so far. We need to make sure that the right training is in place for our buyers and our suppliers to make sure that we have a supply chain that is free from modern-day slavery.

My Lords, I thank the Minister for the Government’s engagement on the all-party amendment dealing with solar panels being imported from Xinjiang. I welcome the amendment that was tabled overnight in lieu and the engagement—especially of her noble friend, the noble Lord, Lord Hunt of Kings Heath—in making that possible. Is the Minister aware that 800 pages of submissions have already been received by the Joint Committee on Human Rights in its inquiry into modern-day slavery in supply chains? Will she agree to engage with the committee as it comes forward with recommendations? Does she agree that there should be an explicit provision in UK law prohibiting the import of slave-made goods, using the kind of technology that the noble Lord, Lord Rooker, referred to, because there is not such a prohibition in our law now?

I want to put on record my personal thanks for the work that has been done by the noble Lord, Lord Alton. Before I joined the Government, I ran the Index on Censorship and worked very closely with Rahima Mahmut on many of these issues. I am aware of all the work the noble Lord has done. Unsurprisingly, I am also very grateful for the timing of the amendment on solar panels, which was tabled overnight. I thank the noble Lord for all the work he did to make this Question slightly more straightforward for me. On the current ongoing inquiry, we look forward to engaging directly with the noble Lord and I hope to be able to discuss those matters with him personally. As he will be aware, we have taken huge strides forward in recent years with the Modern Slavery Act and Procurement Act. I look forward to working with him as we take even more strides forward.

My Lords, can the Minister assure us that, with the current and growing disruption of supply chains due to tariffs, she and her colleagues will pay extra attention to the output of bad supply chains of modern slavery on our high streets—simple things such nail bars, as well as hairdressing and such things? An enormous amount of modern-day slavery is already visible. Could the Government please give extra attention to that, with the disruption of supply chains and knowing that it may be more difficult to track these things?

The noble Baroness makes an excellent point on quite how volatile current environments are and on ensuring that we do not forget our core value set, within which we operate. I am very pleased that police operations have increased since the Modern Slavery Act was introduced, from only 200 police operations in December 2016 to 2,750 in February this year. We are making huge strides, and I assure the noble Baroness that we will not move away from our values to ensure that modern-day slavery is not present on the streets of the UK, as well as further afield.

My Lords, in preparing for this Question I checked with the Global Slavery Index, and I was very struck that China is not in the top 10 of global slavery problems; India and a number of Middle Eastern states, as well as North Korea and Eritrea, come higher. But clearly, in terms of global supply chains, China is high, and the clothing industry in other countries, as well as in China, is extremely important. How are we working with other democratic countries to try to intervene at an early stage in these supply chains to stop things filtering into multinational markets?

The noble Lord makes an excellent point on how we do it. It is about making sure that modern-day slavery is part of every conversation that is had when we discuss trade deals. I checked to make sure where my clothes came from before I came here today to make sure I was wearing clothes that came from areas that are not subject to modern slavery. Although I was genuinely worried about China, there were other countries on the safety list that I also needed to check. For the record, my clothes are from Turkey and Indonesia—I am fine.

My Lords, this side of the House supported the excellent amendment from the noble Lord, Lord Alton of Liverpool, to the Great British Energy Bill. We welcomed the Government’s decision to listen to the noble Lord and to commit to amending the Bill. Does the Minister agree that this sets a direction for Ministers across government to follow?

I absolutely do.

My Lords, I absolutely welcome all the Government’s efforts on modern slavery but can I turn their attention to the contents of the clothes that come from the same place? On 1 January next year, France is instituting a law which will stop all garments for children to wear being full of PFAS and other forever chemicals. Since exiting the EU, we have not banned six further chemicals. I know that the Government are looking to make school uniforms cheaper with the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill; I beg them to have a look at the contents of the fabric. That is precisely what the EU, and France specifically, are banning young children wearing because it gets into their bodies. It is now extremely well studied and researched.

I thank the noble Baroness. She will be unsurprised that I am not briefed on that, but I will speak to colleagues about the points that she raised and make sure that they engage directly with her.

My Lords—

My Lords—

It is the turn of my noble friend Lord Sahota.

My Lords, in 2023 I was a member of the Horticultural Sector Committee, which looked into farming issues, including the plight of seasonal workers. Some witnesses claimed that seasonal workers on farms were being exploited by their employers, such as with non-payment of proper wages, poor-quality accommodation, no proper healthcare and other labour abuses, which those witnesses claimed were tantamount to modern slavery, but they were too afraid to come forward and report the matter to the authorities in case they were deported to their country of origin. Are the Government aware of this problem of modern-day slavery in the farming sector?

I thank my noble friend for his question. I know he is very aware that I am a former trade union officer and therefore would definitely seek to ensure that UK employment law is enforced for all people working in the United Kingdom. That is also why I am grateful that the Employment Rights Bill is currently before your Lordships’ House, as it will tighten up any areas where there are issues.

My Lords, I declare my interest as the chairman of the Human Trafficking Foundation, which deals with modern slavery. I think the Minister will have heard a real appetite in this House with regard to this matter. It is 10 years since we passed the Modern Slavery Act, and I urge her to think about fresh legislation to deal with supply chains. It is not just China, cotton and solar panels but all over. I think there is a real appetite in this Chamber and the other to bring forward legislation.

The noble Lord tempts me but I am definitely not brave enough, with my Chief Whip sitting on the Front Bench, to suggest giving over government time for anything, never mind extra legislation. However, we need to be aware that the Procurement Act came into force only in February this year, so the Government will continue to explore looking to see how it works and what happens, and will then review what we additionally need.