8,000 migrants in vetting scandal had National Insurance numbers

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Some were given the numbers after the introduction of 'tougher checks', a letter written by Work and Pensions Minister Stephen Timms reveals.

Last night, the Tories said it was yet more evidence of 'shambolic administration' at the heart of Government.

Scandal: Some illlegal immigrants took up security posts at Whitehall

The revelations centre on last year's Security Industry Authority vetting fiasco, in which the Home Office discovered around 10,000 illegal immigrants had been cleared to work as bouncers and security staff.

One man was allowed to guard a compound where the Prime Minister's car is taken for maintenance and repair.

Checks revealed the migrants had no rights to work in the UK, but Ministers were unable to say how many had been given National Insurance numbers by the Government.

Now, after more than seven months of probing by Conservative MP James Clappison, it has emerged more than 7,900 of the guards had been granted numbers.

They included 3,275 who had used a false name, or given other false details.

A Department for Work and Pensions spokesman said: 'A national insurance number is not evidence of someone's right to be in the UK or their right to work.

'It is the legal responsibility of all employers to check that employees have the right to work in the UK.'