§ Mr. BurstowTo 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 BennInformation 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 707W 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.
Persons proceeded against for offences under Immigration Acts 1971 to 1999 in England and Wales, 1997–2001 Number of persons Act and section Offence1 description 1997 1998 1999 2000 20012 Proceeded against Asylum and Immigration Act 1996 section 8 Employing a person subject to immigration control — 1 23 32 65 Found guilt Asylum and Immigration Act 1996 section 8 Employing a person subject to immigration control — 1 9 23 1 1 Data are based on the principal immigration offence only. The exclude an persons proceeded against for section 8 offences where these were not that persons principle immigration offence. 2 Provisional