Westminster Hall Scrutinises Supply-Chain Human Rights, Stoma-Friendly Toilets

High-Level Summary

Westminster Hall held two debates chaired by Peter Dowd. Members discussed safeguarding human rights in supply chains, with calls for mandatory due diligence, stronger Modern Slavery Act enforcement and action on links to forced labour, particularly in Xinjiang; the Minister highlighted an ongoing review and related steps. A separate debate examined public toilet provision for people with stomas, focusing on dignity, practical stoma‑friendly adaptations and how councils can support provision. Both debates ended without a division, with Ministers committing to engagement and outlining existing measures and reviews.

Detailed Summary

Human Rights: Supply Chains

Bambos Charalambous opened, arguing the UK is “falling behind” and calling for mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence, stronger section 54 Modern Slavery Act reporting, and inclusion of public bodies. He said current transparency and supply chain reporting “is wholly inadequate, applying only to organisations with a turnover of more than £36 million”. He also warned about reliance on Chinese solar components, stating, “An estimated 98% of solar panels in the UK are produced in China”. Ellie Chowns said existing UK laws “are too narrow to meet internationally accepted standards” and that “The UK risks falling behind its international partners”. John McDonnell urged that financial services be covered, noting “the finance sector seems to have been excluded from the whole debate”.

Sir Iain Duncan Smith described the Modern Slavery Act as “rather toothless” and pointed to the US approach, where the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act “creates a rebuttable presumption that goods produced wholly or partly in Xinjiang” are made with forced labour unless proved otherwise. Tom Gordon, citing the Joint Committee on Human Rights, said goods made with forced labour “are still reaching our shelves here in the UK”, and noted the Government had said it “cannot direct how the POCA powers are used”. Responding, Minister Kate Dearden said the Government’s evidence-based review of responsible business is considering “mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence measures and forced labour bans” and that “we will update Parliament on the review in due course”. She added the Government is “considering how to strengthen the section 54 transparency regime” and has issued updated statutory guidance (March 2025). On Xinjiang, she said the UK would “raise these concerns with China at the highest levels” and announced an ethical supply chain advisory group for GB Energy that “meets for the first time next week”. The motion was agreed without division; next steps centre on the review update and the advisory group’s inaugural meeting.

Stoma: Public Toilet Provision

Jim Shannon opened by framing the issue as one of “dignity, independence and inclusion”. Citing Colostomy UK’s survey, he said “62% of people living with a stoma avoid activities” and that “4% said they left home only for emergencies”. He and others urged practical adaptations—shelves, hooks, mirrors and disposal bins—and proposed adding “stoma-friendly features to be incorporated in part M of the building regulations”. He also highlighted research indicating “one public toilet for every 15,500 people in England” and that “public toilet provision has fallen by 14% since 2016”.

Vikki Slade argued that “Public toilets are becoming even more of an issue for more people” and called to “ensure that all public toilets are equipped with sanitary bins” as well as a statutory duty on councils to ensure sufficient provision. Blake Stephenson underlined that stoma‑friendly accessible toilets need “a shelf, a hook, a mirror and a bin” and noted that “A stoma is, in the main, an invisible disability”. Minister Nesil Caliskan recognised the scale of need—“one in 335 people” live with a stoma and “more than 13,000” operations occur annually—and said “local authorities are best placed to understand the needs of their communities”. She referenced funding (“committed more than £5 billion over the next three years for essential local services, including public toilets”) and rate relief for stand‑alone public toilets, existing Building Regulations guidance, including on “shelves” and “sanitary disposal units”, and the Changing Places programme. She committed to engagement: “I will happily meet them”. The motion was agreed without division; Ministers indicated willingness to meet charities and work with councils on best practice; no new statutory duties were announced.