Britain's chief government legal adviser was fined Tuesday for hiring an illegal immigrant as her housekeeper.
Baroness Patricia Scotland, the country's attorney general, apologized for her error in employing a 27-year-old Tongan woman who had lived in Britain illegally for five years after overstaying a student visa.
Britain's border agency said in a statement that Scotland had not knowingly hired an illegal immigrant, but fined her 5,000 pounds ($8,000) for not completing the proper paperwork.
Scotland said she had checked the documents of the housekeeper, but did not keep copies of the material, as is required by law.
"I accept it is my duty to pay the fine and I have done so ... I sincerely apologize for my error," said she in a statement.
The agency said it could not confirm whether or not the documents Scotland was shown were fraudulent.
In a previous role as a Home Office minister, Scotland was involved in work on drafting legislation aimed at tightening penalties for those who hire illegal immigrants.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Scotland, who is the leader's most senior legal adviser, will not lose her job.
"I have concluded that no further action is necessary," he said.
Born in Dominica, Scotland in 1991 became the first black woman in Britain to be made a queen's counsel _ a senior lawyer able to conduct work on behalf of the crown. She was appointed attorney general in 2007.
Britain's two main opposition parties have called on Scotland to resign.
