5,000 'illegals' work in security

My Account
Logout

Create an Evening Standard Account

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Welcome! Sign in here

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Forgot your password ?

Registration

* indicates fields that are mandatory

Email *

Password *

Confirm Password *

First name *

Surname *

Postcode *

Country *

Mobile phone number

Username *

Gender *

Year of birth *

When you sign up...

You will have access to all our online competitions, discounted offers and can post comments on our site.

You will also receive The Weekender newsletter sent every Thursday - it’s full of fantastic offers and ideas for the weekend. You can update your email preferences in your account page when you log in.

Other newsletters and emails

Homes & Property Newsletter - Yes I want to receive the weekly email with all the latest news on property in the capital

Occasionally we would also like to send you relevant emails detailing specific offers either from ourselves or carefully selected partners. If you would prefer not to receive these then please tick the appropriate boxes below. We will never pass on your details.

I do not want to receive additional offers and information from the Evening Standard

I do not want to receive additional offers and information sent by Evening Standard on behalf of carefully selected partners

Terms and Conditions

* I have read, understood and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of Evening Standard

Registration

Mail Sent for Registration Confirmation.

A confirmation email has been sent. Please activate your account by clicking on the activation link sent in your mail box.

Some of those wrongly given licences by the Security Industry Authority (SIA) ended up working for the Metropolitan Police. Others reportedly found employment in Whitehall, and at ports and airports.

The blunders emerged only after officials realised the SIA had not been checking whether applicants were entitled to work in Britain.

Ministers immediately ordered a review of hundreds of thousands of licences issued since 2004, and the loophole was closed in July.

However, a Scotland Yard spokesman confirmed it had employed through a contractor staff who were later revealed as suspected illegal immigrants.

"On April 4 we were informed that a number of people working for a company contracted to the MPS were the subjects of an immigration investigation," the spokesman said.

"They were removed from MPS work and suspended by the contract company until the Immigration Service investigations were completed."

Shadow immigration minister Damian Green said the news was "extraordinary" when the Home Office had previously discovered it was employing illegal immigrants as cleaners.

The SIA was set up by the Home Office to regulate the security industry and started issuing licences in 2004. It reports directly to the department, and has so far cleared about 250,000 applicants.

A Home Office spokesman said the SIA had taken "immediate action" as soon as it had become aware that some licence holders were being employed illegally.