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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Minister faces immigration probe | Minister faces immigration probe |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Immigration officials are investigating reports that an illegal worker was employed by the attorney general. | Immigration officials are investigating reports that an illegal worker was employed by the attorney general. |
| Baroness Scotland says she employed Loloahi Tapui in good faith and thought she was working in the UK legally. | Baroness Scotland says she employed Loloahi Tapui in good faith and thought she was working in the UK legally. |
| The UK Border Agency said it would investigate in the same way it would "any allegation of illegal working". | The UK Border Agency said it would investigate in the same way it would "any allegation of illegal working". |
| Gordon Brown said people should wait for the outcome of the probe, but Baroness Scotland wished to apologise for "any inadvertent mistake". | |
| Under laws passed when Baroness Scotland was a Home Office minister, even employers who unknowingly take on illegal workers face a £10,000 fine. | |
| Asked about the case, the prime minister said Baroness Scotland had contacted the authorities herself to ask them to conduct a "thorough" investigation. | |
| She did this to assure herself and the country that she had taken "the necessary steps" when hiring Ms Tapui, Mr Brown said. | |
| People should wait until the investigation was concluded to "pass judgement" on the case, he added. | |
| Temporary visa | Temporary visa |
| Employers are required to carry out appropriate checks to verify their staff's right to work in the UK - such as looking at passports and work permits and taking copies of relevant pages. | Employers are required to carry out appropriate checks to verify their staff's right to work in the UK - such as looking at passports and work permits and taking copies of relevant pages. |
| Those who knowingly do so face a two-year prison sentence and an unlimited fine. | |
| At no stage prior to the matter being raised did Baroness Scotland believe there was any question over Ms Tapui's entitlement to work Attorney general's spokesman | At no stage prior to the matter being raised did Baroness Scotland believe there was any question over Ms Tapui's entitlement to work Attorney general's spokesman |
| The Daily Mail reported on Wednesday that Baroness Scotland employed Loloahi Tapui, from Tonga, for six months. It is understood Ms Tapui arrived in the UK in 2003 on a temporary visa which has since expired. | The Daily Mail reported on Wednesday that Baroness Scotland employed Loloahi Tapui, from Tonga, for six months. It is understood Ms Tapui arrived in the UK in 2003 on a temporary visa which has since expired. |
| Baroness Scotland sacked her when told of her ineligibility. | Baroness Scotland sacked her when told of her ineligibility. |
| Gordon Brown's spokesman said: "The prime minister is aware of the statement and has full confidence in Baroness Scotland. He thinks she's doing a very good job as attorney general." | Gordon Brown's spokesman said: "The prime minister is aware of the statement and has full confidence in Baroness Scotland. He thinks she's doing a very good job as attorney general." |
| 'Good faith' | 'Good faith' |
| A spokesman for Baroness Scotland said she had "never knowingly employed an illegal immigrant", adding that she had hired the help in "good faith". | A spokesman for Baroness Scotland said she had "never knowingly employed an illegal immigrant", adding that she had hired the help in "good faith". |
| "She saw documents which led her to believe that Ms Tapui was entitled to work in this country," he said. | "She saw documents which led her to believe that Ms Tapui was entitled to work in this country," he said. |
| "At no stage prior to the matter being raised did Baroness Scotland believe there was any question over Ms Tapui's entitlement to work." | "At no stage prior to the matter being raised did Baroness Scotland believe there was any question over Ms Tapui's entitlement to work." |
| Loloahi Tapui worked in Baroness Scotland's London house. Picture credit: James Emmett - Daily Mail | Loloahi Tapui worked in Baroness Scotland's London house. Picture credit: James Emmett - Daily Mail |
| He also said she had been paying tax and national insurance. | He also said she had been paying tax and national insurance. |
| But BBC political correspondent Gillian Hargreaves said Baroness Scotland would remain under pressure until she clarified what documents she had viewed before hiring Ms Tapui. | But BBC political correspondent Gillian Hargreaves said Baroness Scotland would remain under pressure until she clarified what documents she had viewed before hiring Ms Tapui. |
| Keith Best, of the Immigration Advisory Service, said employers had to comply with Border Agency guidelines - including checking visa status on passports. | Keith Best, of the Immigration Advisory Service, said employers had to comply with Border Agency guidelines - including checking visa status on passports. |
| 'Grey areas' | 'Grey areas' |
| "The perusal of a National Insurance certificate in itself is insufficient to escape a civil penalty," he told the BBC. | "The perusal of a National Insurance certificate in itself is insufficient to escape a civil penalty," he told the BBC. |
| If the documents checked were not those required, it was "inevitable" she would face a civil penalty, he said. | If the documents checked were not those required, it was "inevitable" she would face a civil penalty, he said. |
| Labour MP Keith Vaz, chairman of the home affairs select committee, said he believed Baroness Scotland would have "satisfied herself" that all the necessary checks were done. | Labour MP Keith Vaz, chairman of the home affairs select committee, said he believed Baroness Scotland would have "satisfied herself" that all the necessary checks were done. |
| It is absolutely right that there is a proper investigation and it needs to be done very quickly Chris GraylingConservatives | It is absolutely right that there is a proper investigation and it needs to be done very quickly Chris GraylingConservatives |
| "I am sure she would have done everything that was proper and right," he told BBC Radio 4's World At One. | "I am sure she would have done everything that was proper and right," he told BBC Radio 4's World At One. |
| However, he said there were "grey areas" in how the law was interpreted and a single database was needed to give employers access to information about an individual's immigrant status, right to work and ability to claim benefits. | However, he said there were "grey areas" in how the law was interpreted and a single database was needed to give employers access to information about an individual's immigrant status, right to work and ability to claim benefits. |
| For the Conservatives, Chris Grayling said it was a "big embarrassment for Gordon Brown" as a senior government law officer had got things "badly wrong". | For the Conservatives, Chris Grayling said it was a "big embarrassment for Gordon Brown" as a senior government law officer had got things "badly wrong". |
| He added: "It is absolutely right that there is a proper investigation and it needs to be done very quickly. | He added: "It is absolutely right that there is a proper investigation and it needs to be done very quickly. |
| "Inevitably now there is a big question over her position and whatever happens she should be treated in exactly the same way as any other small employer. " | "Inevitably now there is a big question over her position and whatever happens she should be treated in exactly the same way as any other small employer. " |