ATTORNEY General Baroness Scotland has been fined £5,000 for breaching laws against employing illegal immigrants.

Lady Scotland, who hails from Walthamstow, did not deliberately employ a housekeeper without the right to work in the UK but she did fail to keep a copy of documents relating to Tongan Loloahi Tapui, the UK Border Agency found.

She was required to do so under laws she helped put through Parliament.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has spared her the sack over the scandal but has ordered her to 'apologise profusely', it has been reported.

Lady Scotland said: "I fully accept the findings of the UK Border Agency, that I made a technical breach of the rules and I apologise for having made this inadvertent error.

"Having examined the documents which I was shown, I accept entirely that I should have taken copies of them and retained those copies and I accept it is my duty to pay the fine and I have done so."

Gordon Brown has said no further action will be taken against her after the fine and her apology.

But Conservative shadow home secretary Chris Grayling and Lib Dem home affairs spokesman Chris Huhne have both criticised the decision.

Mr Grayling said: "After this, we can't see how Baroness Scotland can credibly stay in her job."

And Chris Huhne called Lady Scotland's position 'untenable' as chief law officer.

In a statement, chief executive of the UK Border Agency Lin Homer said: "Our priority in enforcement against employers is to identify employers who knowingly flout the rules, often on a continual basis and often on a large scale.”

Baroness Scotland, whose real name is Patricia Mawhinney, could have faced a fine of up to £10,000 and a jail sentence had she been found to have knowingly employed an illegal immigrant.

Lin Homer added: "This case serves to remind all employers that they are responsible not only for checking the immigration status of their staff but for retaining proof of the documents checked."

Born in Dominica, 54-year-old Baroness Scotland grew up in Walthamstow and attended Walthamstow School for Girls, going on to become the first black female QC.

She has returned to Walthamstow for official visits on a number of occasions and was given an honorary degree from the University of East London in 2005.