Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment for Scotland's Trafficking and Exploitation Strategy 2025

Executive summary

The Scottish Government’s Trafficking and Exploitation Strategy sets a foundation for Scotland’s response to the unacceptable violations of human rights which result from exploitation and trafficking. This BRIA assesses the business and regulatory implications of the revised Strategy. No new legislative or regulatory requirements are being introduced in this Strategy, or accompanying Delivery Plan. The strategy promotes voluntary engagement, guidance, and partnership-based approaches. Some examples of sectors known to be affected by trafficking and exploitation include agriculture, fishing, hospitality, social care, and construction. These industries are known to carry heightened risks of labour exploitation.

Since publication of the partial BRIA alongside the Strategy in July 2025, the Scottish Government has undertaken further engagement with business stakeholders to inform this final assessment. The engagement did not suggest that the Strategy will result in direct regulatory costs or disproportionate impacts on business. This final BRIA therefore confirms the conclusions reached in the partial assessment. As this is a non-regulatory strategy that does not introduce new legal requirements or compliance obligations, no direct costs or business impacts are expected to arise from its publication

Issue and why it needs to be addressed

Human trafficking and exploitation are grave human rights abuses affecting individuals in Scotland. In 2015, the Scottish Parliament unanimously passed the Human Trafficking and Exploitation (Scotland) Act, which criminalises trafficking and exploitation, imposes penalties, and requires the development of a national anti-trafficking strategy. The Scottish Government is required under the Human Trafficking and Exploitation (Scotland) Act 2015 to publish and maintain a national strategy which must be reviewed no more than 3 years from the date of the last strategy.

While efforts to disrupt trafficking and to hold perpetrators to account are underway, incidents of trafficking and exploitation in Scotland have been increasing year on year.

The need to address all forms of trafficking and exploitation is therefore evident and of utmost importance, as is the support of victims.

Intended outcomes

The overarching vision of the revised Strategy is to prevent human trafficking and exploitation in Scotland and to respond effectively when it does occur. The purpose is to prevent trafficking and exploitation of adults and children by providing a clear framework, informed by survivor voices and data, through which our anti-trafficking interventions will be delivered. The revised strategy seeks to ensure child and adult victims are identified, protected and supported to safety and long-term recovery; perpetrators are identified, their activities are disrupted, and they are prosecuted; improved use of data, evidence and research informs strategy implementation; and conditions that expose children, adults and communities in Scotland to increased risks of trafficking and re-trafficking are addressed. These outcomes contribute to Scottish Government goals on wellbeing, human rights, justice, and economic transformation.