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Article

17 Mar 2021

Author:
BBC news

UK: BEIS committee says Modern Slavery Act cannot guarantee supply chains are free from forced labour, recommends strengthening of law and policy framework

"Uighur abuse - MPs criticise companies over China forced labour", 17 March 2021

Some British firms could be complicit in the use of forced labour in China's Xinjiang region, an MPs' report says.

The Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee said there was a lack of transparency in firms' supply chains and failures in government.

Xinjiang, in north-west China, is home to the Uighur Muslim population.

China has been accused of committing genocide and crimes against humanity through its repression of the Uighurs - allegations it denies.

MPs said UK firms in fashion, retail, media and technology could all be implicated in the use of forced labour, and it was time to fine and blacklist those that failed to change.

The BEIS committee said it was appalled companies still cannot guarantee that their supply chains are free from forced labour. Those that cannot prove they don't have links with Xinjiang should face sanctions, the MPs said. The report recommends the government accelerates proposals to amend and strengthen the Modern Slavery Act 2015.

Part of the following timelines

China: 83 major brands implicated in report on forced labour of ethnic minorities from Xinjiang assigned to factories across provinces; Includes company responses

China: 83 major brands implicated in report on forced labour of ethnic minorities from Xinjiang assigned to factories across provinces; Includes company responses

China: Mounting concerns over forced labour in Xinjiang

China: Mounting concerns over forced labour in Xinjiang

UK: Government announces measures to address risk of UK business complicity in human rights violations against ethnic minorities in Xinjiang