CAMPAIGNERS are calling on the Scottish Government to “tighten the noose” around the necks of Scots companies to deter them being involved in slave labour and breaching human rights of workers abroad.

The move comes after six workers were “rescued” from a Delhi subway system building site in India which is at the centre of bonded labour claims and run by a firm with links to Scotland.

Renfrew firm Howden Group is involved in a multi-million pound joint venture to manufacture equipment for power plants with major Indian construction firm Larsen and Toubro (L&T), which is currently being accused of human rights breaches.

Campaigners wrote to the Howden Group alerting them to the allegation surrounding L&T, which has been passed to the Indian Government’s Ministry of Labour, and asking them to investigate claims of slave labour. Both companies have denied any involvement in bonded labour.

Andrew Brady, Glasgow-based project manager of Union Solidarity International (USI), is part of the Blood Bricks campaign along with NGOs and local people, and is working to tackle the issue of an estimated 10 million people in India who are bonded labourers or “modern slaves”.

Business regulation and human rights laws are not devolved but Brady believes the Scottish Government still has an important role to play. He said: “The laws concerning this are not devolved, however, maybe the Scottish Government could look at the law with companies based and registered in Scotland to tighten up human rights obligations. Although business regulation is reserved, we are trying to find ways of tying a tighter noose around companies’ necks in Scotland by having greater responsibilities.

“We are asking the Scottish Government what is the scope for control in pressuring companies to uphold the law whether it’s through grants or the Scottish Government’s human rights commissioner, is this something that could fall within their remit in absence of business regulation being devolved?

“We have people on the ground constantly monitoring the situation abroad and trying to link it to the Scotland and the rest of the UK for us.”

The Scottish Government said it condemns human rights abuses and plans to set up a Fair Work Convention.

A spokeswoman said: “The Scottish Government has consistently condemned human rights abuses wherever they occur. In line with international best practice, Scotland’s National Action Plan commits partners to the development of a plan to give better effect to the UN’s Guiding Principles, and we will work with businesses and other key stakeholders to shape our approach here.

“Employment law is reserved to the UK Government. While the vast majority of employers in Scotland are lawful and exercise a duty of care to their employees, there are unfortunately people who flout the law.

“The Scottish Government fully recognises the importance of making workplaces fairer.

“We have announced our intention to set up a Fair Work Convention to encourage government, employers, trade unions and employees to work together to establish progressive workplace practices, boost innovation and productivity.”

Jim Sheridan, Labour MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire North, who is backing the campaign, said the issue strengthened the case for the Modern Slavery Bill, which is going through Parliament and includes a requirement for large companies to disclose what action they have taken to ensure their supply chains are “slavery free”.

Chandan Kumar, co-ordinator for Action Aid in India, said the charity managed to “liberate” six men from L&T work camps recently.

She told The National: “A group of about six workers got jobs at a construction site in Delhi.

“The site is run jointly by Larsen and Toubro and the Shanghai Urban Construction Group (subsidiary of the Chinese mother company with registrations in India), and they’re building a Delhi metro line.

“They sought help from a local contact, who in turn happened to know a different activist, and one of them contacted us and sought help. Later we had managed to liberate them from clutches of labour contractors who were allegedly keeping them as forced labour.”

Campaigners are battling to take L&T to court arguing that the way these workers were treated is a criminal offence.

She added: “We are trying [to] take the case to court. And it’s not just labour court. We are arguing that the non-payment of wages creates, effectively, a situation of bonded/slave labour as far as Indian labour jurisprudence is concerned, also considered a criminal offence. The issue now becomes criminal, and the company would be subject to harsher penalties.”

Howden confirmed it was in a joint venture with Larsen and Toubro in the power industry in India but insisted it was not aware of any allegations or issues of bonded or forced labour.

A spokesman said: “Howden has a strong focus on corporate citizenship and adheres to strict rules and standards regarding its employment practices, and refrains from and denounces any form of bonded labour.”

L&T denied the allegations of bonded labour and said the company had the highest standards of labour welfare at all establishments and job sites, and was compliant with the Indian labour laws and acts.