On 22 June, APPG FoRB officers Lord Alton and Jim Shannon MP participated in the parliamentary roundtable From Landmark Case to Legislative Change: Advancing the Fight for Accountability in Forced Labour, hosted by the APPG on Uyghurs and the APPG on Human Rights. Lord Alton chaired the discussion, while Jim Shannon MP and Sir Iain Duncan Smith MP made significant contributions.
The event examined concerns around forced labour in global supply chains, the effectiveness of existing UK legislation, and opportunities to strengthen enforcement and corporate accountability. Speakers argued that the challenge is not only a lack of legislation, but a lack of meaningful implementation.
Lord Alton emphasised that the UK cannot continue with “business as usual” where credible evidence of forced labour exists. Jim Shannon MP highlighted the importance of keeping abuses in China, including the persecution of Uyghurs, Falun Gong practitioners, and other minority groups firmly on the parliamentary agenda. Sir Iain Duncan Smith argued that stronger enforcement is essential and pointed to international examples, including US legislation, as models for more effective action.
The discussion relates closely to the APPG FoRB’s ongoing work on China, including its focus on Uyghur Muslims, Falun Gong practitioners, Christians and other religious or belief communities facing repression. It also reflects the APPG’s wider efforts to raise concerns about arbitrary detention, forced labour, restrictions on religious practice and state surveillance through parliamentary questions, debates and stakeholder engagement.
