Senior employees at the UK Border Agency (UKBA) shared a bonus pot of £295,000 last year despite a damning report that highlighted it had a long way to go before it is operating efficiently.

The report The Work of the UK Border Agency, produced by the Home Affairs Committee, headed up by Keith Vaz, highlighted an "astonishing" 40,000 immigration files had been abandoned incomplete. It was reported that the £295,000 bonus payout was divided by 29 employees.

The report, published on 1 December, read: "The previous home secretary described the UKBA as 'not fit for purpose', and the recent discovery of these immigration cases shows that the agency still has a long way to go before it is operating efficiently and effectively as it needs to. Despite this, in 2007-2008 employees received bonuses totalling £295,000."

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