Barker Ross temps arrested

Thu, 30 Apr 2009

Ten illegal workers have been arrested after a UK Border Agency raid on a sandwich factory in Milton Keynes.

Paul Ross, managing director of industrial, commercial and construction recruiter Barker Ross, which placed the staff at Buckingham Foods, told Recruiter the agency had completed all the necessary checks.

“Anyone who comes to register with us has to bring proof of eligibility to work in the UK. That’s either a stamp in a passport [from another country], UK passport, full birth certificate and, depending on which country they come from, an eligibility certificate to say they can work in the UK.

“I have personally scrutinised all the files, as has an external auditor. We are working with the copies we keep on file, but from what we can see we couldn’t have acted any differently.”

Three of the workers have been charged on suspicion of forgery offences. 

Ross added Barker Ross is still working with the company to supply their temporary staffing needs. 

Gareth Redmond, the UK Border Agency’s West London and Thames Valley director, says: “We’re committed to removing people who have no right to be or work in the UK, and we’re working closely with other agencies and local authorities to do that.” 

Civil penalties for businesses who fail to carry out the proper checks when employing migrant workers from outside Europe were introduced by the government in February 2008, allowing fines of up to £10,000 per illegal employee.