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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Illegals firms named and shamed | Illegals firms named and shamed |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Companies that employ illegal immigrants are to be named and shamed in a further attempt to crack down on people smuggling. | |
| The move by the Home Office comes four months after officials launched a concerted effort to identify and prosecute companies breaking the law. | The move by the Home Office comes four months after officials launched a concerted effort to identify and prosecute companies breaking the law. |
| More than 200 companies have already been fined for hiring illegal labour. | More than 200 companies have already been fined for hiring illegal labour. |
| The Home Office says names of companies and directors are to be published on the UK Border Agency website. | |
| The agency will publish how many illegal immigrants the company was employing and how much it was fined. | The agency will publish how many illegal immigrants the company was employing and how much it was fined. |
| By May this year there had been 137 prosecutions under the new rules leading to fines totalling £500,000 - almost £3,000 per firm. | By May this year there had been 137 prosecutions under the new rules leading to fines totalling £500,000 - almost £3,000 per firm. |
| The total number of prosecutions was 10 times more than were carried out in 2007, and double the total for the previous decade. | The total number of prosecutions was 10 times more than were carried out in 2007, and double the total for the previous decade. |
| 'Mr Bigs' | 'Mr Bigs' |
| Immigration chiefs are also switching their focus from small-time illegal employers, such as takeaway restaurants, in an effort to uncover so-called "Mr Bigs" - major organised criminal enterprises supplying illegal labour, often relying on international networks to smuggle people into the Britain. | Immigration chiefs are also switching their focus from small-time illegal employers, such as takeaway restaurants, in an effort to uncover so-called "Mr Bigs" - major organised criminal enterprises supplying illegal labour, often relying on international networks to smuggle people into the Britain. |
| Some 7,500 immigration officers will be re-organised into more localised teams with police and customs officials in an effort to better target what the Home Office says are illegal working hotspots. | Some 7,500 immigration officers will be re-organised into more localised teams with police and customs officials in an effort to better target what the Home Office says are illegal working hotspots. |
| These could include areas of the economy where there is a high demand for labour including agriculture, construction and hospitality. | These could include areas of the economy where there is a high demand for labour including agriculture, construction and hospitality. |
| Nobody knows how many people are working without permission in the UK - although estimates put the number of illegal residents at more than 500,000. | Nobody knows how many people are working without permission in the UK - although estimates put the number of illegal residents at more than 500,000. |
| Ministers say the crackdown on illegal workers is designed to stop unscrupulous employers from undercutting the labour market by paying taxless wages below the minimum wage in often dangerous conditions. | Ministers say the crackdown on illegal workers is designed to stop unscrupulous employers from undercutting the labour market by paying taxless wages below the minimum wage in often dangerous conditions. |
| But some employers say they cannot be expected to know if a passport or other documentation is real or a sophisticated forgery. | But some employers say they cannot be expected to know if a passport or other documentation is real or a sophisticated forgery. |
| Trade union leaders have also raised concerns about the government's strategy, arguing that it could drive the worst employers further underground, penalising exceptionally poor workers unable to break out of a situation they didn't necessarily choose. | Trade union leaders have also raised concerns about the government's strategy, arguing that it could drive the worst employers further underground, penalising exceptionally poor workers unable to break out of a situation they didn't necessarily choose. |