Baroness Scotland fined £5,000 over illegal worker
Baroness Scotland fined £5,000 over illegal worker
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By inthenews. |  |
Tuesday, 22, Sep 2009 06:14
By Richard James.
Attorney general Baroness Scotland has been fined £5,000 for employing an illegal migrant.
The UK Border Agency (UKBA) declared the law-maker had not knowingly broken the law but ordered a fine to be paid.
Baroness Scotland has said she appreciated it was her duty to pay the fine, and has now done so.
The UKBA found she had breached laws designed to stop illegal immigrants being employed in the UK, but had not been aware the housekeeper she employed did not have the right to work.
She was, however, criticised for her failure to keep a copy of documents provided by her housekeeper.
The Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats have both called for the attorney general to stand down.
The Lib Dem home affairs spokesman Chris Huhne said: "Given the fact that Baroness Scotland is the chief law officer of the government and law-makers shouldn't be law-breakers, this is such an embarrassing case I think she does have to consider her position."
Prime minister Gordon Brown, however, has declared that "no further action is necessary" in relation to the incident, seemingly sparring Baroness Scotland.
The attorney general said in a released statement on Tuesday: "I fully accept the findings of the UK Border Agency that I made a technical breach of the rules and I apologise for having made this inadvertent error.
"Having examined the documents which I was shown, I accept entirely that I should have taken copies of them and retained those copies and I accept it is my duty to pay the fine, and I have done so."