Written question asked by Baroness Warsi (Conservative), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Lord Adonis (Labour) on Tuesday, 9 March 2010.

Government Departments: Illegal Immigrants

Question: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many illegal immigrants have been found to be working for the Department for Transport and its agencies in each of the past five years.

Answer: In each of the past five years, there have been no illegal immigrants found to be working as a Department for Transport employee. In December 2008, one illegal immigrant was found to be working at Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency as an employee of a contractor and was arrested on 10 December 2008. The contractor carried out all relevant checks prior to employment but was deceived by the forged documentation provided by this individual. People employed to work in government departments and their agencies, either directly or through a contractor, are required to satisfy requirements on identity, nationality and immigration status prior to the offer of employment. On the one occasion within the past five years where compliance checks have found illegal immigrants working for Department for Transport contractors, the individual was kept in detention until his appearance in court on 12 January 2009, when he was sentenced.

Secondary information