"Anybody who is able to work in a restricted zone is screened in exactly the same thorough way as any member of the public," he added. Foreign workers who work airside at UK airports do not have to undergo full mandatory criminal records checks, the BBC's Newsnight has discovered. Since 2003, staff have been checked against UK criminal records, but offences abroad are not covered. Aviation Minister Jim Fitzpatrick has defended vetting procedures for staff. After the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001, governments across the world pledged to make airports more secure. In the UK, the government introduced mandatory criminal records checks for all staff working airside.To not do anything about it because it's inconvenient, it's a disgrace But Newsnight has discovered a serious loophole in the legislation. Foreign workers are being employed without undergoing any criminal records checks. The government says it would simply take too long and be too complex to check criminal records from abroad.