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Illegal immigrant worked at Parliament

Updated 22.28 Sat Feb 09 2008

An illegal immigrant who disappeared for four years was caught working as a cleaner inside the Houses of Parliament.

Brazilian Elaine Chaves Aparecida, 31, was seized as she tried to get into the Palace of Westminster access using someone else's security pass.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith was forced to admit that more than 11,000 illegal workers may have been cleared to get jobs as security guards two months ago

The latest security blunder to hit the Government was only revealed when an insider leaked the contents of a confidential memo to Home Office minister Liam Byrne.

The memo admitted Ms Aparecida worked at the Houses of Parliament from December 3 as an employee of cleaning contractor Emprise Services.

The document also advised ministers to keep quiet about the incident unless asked by the media "given recent coverage of security guards employed illegally at Government offices".

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith was forced to admit that more than 11,000 illegal workers may have been cleared to get jobs as security guards two months ago.

Ms Aparecida, who fled from immigration officials at Heathrow Airport in 2004, is believed to have returned to Brazil voluntarily last week.