The British government has asked public bodies to ensure they do not engage in modern slavery, as part of measures announced on Tuesday.

Starting now, all public-sector organisations that have a budget over $46 million (36 million pounds) will be required to file an annual statement highlighting their efforts to counter modern slavery.

More penalties needed

Britain’s Modern Slavery Act, 2015, requires big businesses to present such a statement. However, critics feel more penalties and compliance is needed for effectiveness.

According to Victoria Atkins, minister for safeguarding and vulnerability, no sector was “immune from the risks of modern slavery”.

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“We expect businesses and public bodies to be open about the risks, including where they have found instances of exploitation and to demonstrate how they are taking targeted and sustained action to tackle modern slavery,” Atkins claimed in a statement.

In March, the British government had published its own anti-slavery statement. It cited construction, electronics, and service providers of cooks and cleaners as the most risky sectors.

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The statement claims how owing to complex global supply chains, “effective oversight is difficult to achieve”.

The Home Office of UK’s interior ministry is planning to launch a digital system to counter modern slavery, and to set up a single enforcement body to address employment rights.

Sara Thornton, the UK’s anti-slavery commissioner claimed that laws required to implement anti-slavery steps should be developed quickly.