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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Illegal migrants 'allowed to go' | Illegal migrants 'allowed to go' |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| The police are often "not interested, too busy or don't know what to do" when illegal immigrants are reported, says the largest UK traffic warden provider. | The police are often "not interested, too busy or don't know what to do" when illegal immigrants are reported, says the largest UK traffic warden provider. |
| National Car Parks said most illegal immigrants it reports "walked away". | National Car Parks said most illegal immigrants it reports "walked away". |
| This was not just because of the police response but also due to the "limited resources" for immigration officers. | This was not just because of the police response but also due to the "limited resources" for immigration officers. |
| MPs heard the system "lends itself to illegal workers" because ID checks are not robust enough or enforced well and there are lots of "forged documents". | MPs heard the system "lends itself to illegal workers" because ID checks are not robust enough or enforced well and there are lots of "forged documents". |
| Many employers "recognise the need to carry out appropriate checks but become disenchanted as they perceive a general lack of joined up thinking from enforcement agencies", the company said in a submission to MPs reviewing the proposed Borders Bill. | Many employers "recognise the need to carry out appropriate checks but become disenchanted as they perceive a general lack of joined up thinking from enforcement agencies", the company said in a submission to MPs reviewing the proposed Borders Bill. |
| 'Mistake' | 'Mistake' |
| The firm, the biggest provider of parking attendants for local councils, employs around 3,000 foreign nationals. | The firm, the biggest provider of parking attendants for local councils, employs around 3,000 foreign nationals. |
| It says "it could be a mistake" for the bill - which makes identity cards mandatory for foreign nationals - not to require all employees to have their biometric identity documents checked. | It says "it could be a mistake" for the bill - which makes identity cards mandatory for foreign nationals - not to require all employees to have their biometric identity documents checked. |
| What you find is that illegal immigrants will go to a certain area of a city where they'll congregate because they can get forged documentation Gordon McLardyNCP executive | What you find is that illegal immigrants will go to a certain area of a city where they'll congregate because they can get forged documentation Gordon McLardyNCP executive |
| The firm said that guidelines which require employers to carry out a "reasonable" check is "insufficient" and "more rigorous checks are needed, particularly in respect of understanding forged documents". | The firm said that guidelines which require employers to carry out a "reasonable" check is "insufficient" and "more rigorous checks are needed, particularly in respect of understanding forged documents". |
| Their biggest concern is "the fact that potential employees will have to give their consent for any check, will we believe, create a situation where the service is only used by genuine employers... and genuine employees". | Their biggest concern is "the fact that potential employees will have to give their consent for any check, will we believe, create a situation where the service is only used by genuine employers... and genuine employees". |
| "Therefore the checking system does little to address the very real issue of the underclass of workers in the population, those with forged documents who present to less than scrupulous employers." | "Therefore the checking system does little to address the very real issue of the underclass of workers in the population, those with forged documents who present to less than scrupulous employers." |
| "If you put biometric [checks] in, it should be mandatory, or we would be failing in our duties," NCP executive Gordon McLardy told the MPs gathering evidence about the planned bill. | "If you put biometric [checks] in, it should be mandatory, or we would be failing in our duties," NCP executive Gordon McLardy told the MPs gathering evidence about the planned bill. |
| He added that in 2005 the company had identified 100 non-EU national applying for jobs at NCP who would have been illegal workers. | |
| "Even if you can't eradicate forgeries, you're cutting down on the opportunities for illegal workers," Mr McLardy, NCP's director of risk management, told the MPs, adding that the current system was inadequate. | "Even if you can't eradicate forgeries, you're cutting down on the opportunities for illegal workers," Mr McLardy, NCP's director of risk management, told the MPs, adding that the current system was inadequate. |
| "Clearly we've a system which lends itself to illegal workers, the checks aren't robust enough, we don't enforce it well and clearly there's a market for false documentation." | "Clearly we've a system which lends itself to illegal workers, the checks aren't robust enough, we don't enforce it well and clearly there's a market for false documentation." |
| False documentation 'market' | False documentation 'market' |
| He added that the number of forged ID documents meant it was sometimes easier to decide not to employ a non-EU national in case the company found out he or she was an illegal worker. | He added that the number of forged ID documents meant it was sometimes easier to decide not to employ a non-EU national in case the company found out he or she was an illegal worker. |
| Mr McLardy also said the firm faced problems when taking staff on from different companies because it was relying on those organisations' checks on their ex-employees' credentials. | Mr McLardy also said the firm faced problems when taking staff on from different companies because it was relying on those organisations' checks on their ex-employees' credentials. |
| He also called for greater sharing of information between employers and different enforcement agencies, as well greater awareness among police of immigration issues. | He also called for greater sharing of information between employers and different enforcement agencies, as well greater awareness among police of immigration issues. |
| "There isn't a central database which collects this information - what you find is that illegal immigrants will go to a certain area of a city where they'll congregate because they can get forged documentation," he said. | "There isn't a central database which collects this information - what you find is that illegal immigrants will go to a certain area of a city where they'll congregate because they can get forged documentation," he said. |
| "There's an enormous amount of information which can be shared." | "There's an enormous amount of information which can be shared." |
| 'Scrupulous employers' | 'Scrupulous employers' |
| Gareth Crossman, policy director of human rights group Liberty, later told the committee that biometric ID cards would not have a "significant effect" on the numbers of illegal workers in the UK. | Gareth Crossman, policy director of human rights group Liberty, later told the committee that biometric ID cards would not have a "significant effect" on the numbers of illegal workers in the UK. |
| "If the problem is in illegal working, and there are employers that do not care about the status of their employees, biometric ID will make no difference," he told the committee. | "If the problem is in illegal working, and there are employers that do not care about the status of their employees, biometric ID will make no difference," he told the committee. |
| "It might make a difference for scrupulous employers who are being hoodwinked. But I don't think that's a significant problem," he added. | "It might make a difference for scrupulous employers who are being hoodwinked. But I don't think that's a significant problem," he added. |
| The government says the Borders Bill's bringing in of ID cards for non-EU nationals will help to tackle illegal immigration and illegal working, and cut down on forgeries. | The government says the Borders Bill's bringing in of ID cards for non-EU nationals will help to tackle illegal immigration and illegal working, and cut down on forgeries. |
| Home Office minister Liam Byrne said at the launch of the bill in January: "I think the very least I can do is make life easier for those businesses by giving them a failsafe, easy method to check whether people are here legally and whether they are who they say they are." | Home Office minister Liam Byrne said at the launch of the bill in January: "I think the very least I can do is make life easier for those businesses by giving them a failsafe, easy method to check whether people are here legally and whether they are who they say they are." |
| Among other measures, the bill also proposes stronger powers for immigration officers. | Among other measures, the bill also proposes stronger powers for immigration officers. |