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Home Office

Answer

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many employers in the UK were found to have employed illegal immigrants in the last year for which figures are available; how many have been successfully prosecuted; and if he will make a statement. [102526] Hilary Benn: Information on the number of employers in the United Kingdom who are found to have employed illegal immigrants is not collected centrally and therefore not available. Information on persons proceeded against for employing a person subject to immigration control is contained in the attached table and published annually in the Command publication "Control of Immigration: Statistics United Kingdom", which is available in the Library and from the Home Office website: www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html. We recognised in our White Paper "Secure Borders, Safe Haven" that section 8 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1996 had not proved to be an effective deterrent in the prevention of illegal migrant working. We also outlined in our White Paper a new and comprehensive strategy for tackling the damaging consequences of illegal working which addressed the root of the problem. Work is on-going in three areas: strengthening present enforcement arrangements; facilitating effective joint working across Government; and working with business and trade unions to improve compliance. In November 2002, I established an Illegal Working Steering Group, which includes representatives from a range of business sectors, the Trades Union's Congress and Commission for Racial Equality. The group has the potential to become a key player in the prevention of illegal working, by ensuring that there is greater awareness of the problems that this form of illegality creates. The group will also be involved in ensuring that the guidance for complying with the amended legislation will be clear, concise and practical. Persons proceeded against for offences under Immigration Acts 1971 to 1999 in England and Wales, 1997-2001 Number of persons _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Act and section Offence1 1997 1998 1999 2000 20012 description Proceeded against Asylum and Immigration Employing a -- 1 23 32 65 Act 1996 section 8 person subject to immigration control Found guilty Asylum and Immigration Employing a -- 1 9 23 1 Act 1996 section 8 person subject to immigration control _________________________________________________________________________________________________. 1 Data are based on the principal immigration offence only. They exclude any persons proceeded against for section 8 offences where these were not that persons principle immigration offence. 2 Provisional

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

102526; 401 c705-6W;401 c706-8W

Session

2002-03

Subjects

Companies Employment Undocumented migrants Prosecutions

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk