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Foreign crimes 'being registered' Inquiry into new Home Office row
(about 1 hour later)
Details of serious overseas offences committed by British criminals are still being registered by police, a Home Office minister has revealed. A senior civil servant is expected to be asked to investigate reports that the Home Office ignored files on serious offences by Britons overseas.
Joan Ryan told the BBC that police chiefs were "working through" details of the most serious cases. The Home Secretary is due to announce the inquiry by an official from outside the Home Office in a Commons statement.
She also stressed that the current Home Office ministers were not told files sent from overseas were not registered. Police chiefs have said UK criminals may have been cleared to work with vulnerable people in the UK.
The home secretary is due to hold urgent talks over claims the Home Office ignored the crucial information. Earlier, Home Office minister Joan Ryan said details of the offences were still being registered by police.
She also told BBC News "some answers" were expected on Wednesday as to whether dangerous offenders were working with children.
Some 525 serious offenders may have applied for jobs back in the UK, it is reported.
On Tuesday the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) said details of 27,529 cases, including 25 Britons convicted of rape, were left in files at the Home Office.
The association said they should have been entered on the Police National Computer (PNC).
'Working through'
Ms Ryan said police chiefs were "working through" details of the most serious cases.
"Acpo [the Association of Chief Police Officers] are saying they are registering the details of the most serious criminals of the 500 most serious cases," she said.
The home secretary and the current ministers were not told about this issue of the backlog Joan Ryan,Home Office ministerThe home secretary and the current ministers were not told about this issue of the backlog Joan Ryan,Home Office minister
On Tuesday, police chiefs said British criminals may have been cleared to work with vulnerable people in the UK after committing crimes abroad. She also stressed that the current Home Office ministers were not told files sent from overseas were not registered.
Ms Ryan said: "Currently, my understanding is this situation is now being dealt with and the majority of serious offenders have been placed on the Police National Computer (PNC). Ms Ryan's comments come after the Home Office had previously said a full inquiry had begun.
"They have not all been registered - the process is under way.
"Acpo [the Association of Chief Police Officers] are saying they are registering the details of the most serious criminals of the 500 most serious cases.
"The home secretary and the current ministers were not told about this issue of the backlog.
"We are making sure that public safety is out first priority."
Ms Ryan's comments come after the Home Office had previously said an inquiry had begun and that the most serious offenders had been added to the PNC.
Mr Reid said on Tuesday night: "This is a very serious problem and I take it very seriously indeed."Mr Reid said on Tuesday night: "This is a very serious problem and I take it very seriously indeed."
Some 525 British criminals may have applied for jobs back in the UK. Mr Reid has been meeting with the police and the Criminal Records Bureau on Wednesday morning.
'Called in police' Speaking before the meeting he said its aim was to "establish the facts and satisfy myself that everything has been done to protect the public".
Acpo says details of 27,529 cases, including 25 Britons convicted of rape, were left in files at the Home Office. 'Totally unacceptable'
The association said they should have been entered on the PNC.
Mr Reid said he had called in the police and Criminal Records Bureau for an urgent meeting.
"I want to establish the facts and satisfy myself that everything has been done to protect the public," he said.
Responsibility for updating the records was transferred from the Home Office to Acpo last year.Responsibility for updating the records was transferred from the Home Office to Acpo last year.
The cases involved included:The cases involved included:
  • 25 rapes
  • 3 attempted rapes
  • 29 paedophiles
  • 17 other sex offenders
  • 5 murders
  • 9 attempted murders
  • 13 manslaughter convictions
  • 29 robberies
  • 25 rapes
  • 3 attempted rapes
  • 29 paedophiles
  • 17 other sex offenders
  • 5 murders
  • 9 attempted murders
  • 13 manslaughter convictions
  • 29 robberies
    • Acpo spokesman Paul Kernaghan told the Commons all-party home affairs select committee that the position was "totally unacceptable" in terms of protecting the public.Acpo spokesman Paul Kernaghan told the Commons all-party home affairs select committee that the position was "totally unacceptable" in terms of protecting the public.
    Mr Kernaghan, who is Hampshire's chief constable, said: "Until the Acpo criminal records office was created, someone could go to Germany, commit a sexual offence and serve a sentence - and this would not be known to any police officer when they came back to the UK."Mr Kernaghan, who is Hampshire's chief constable, said: "Until the Acpo criminal records office was created, someone could go to Germany, commit a sexual offence and serve a sentence - and this would not be known to any police officer when they came back to the UK."
    He added: "The information was sitting in desk files and not entered on the [Police National Computer]. He added: "The information was sitting in desk files and not entered on the PNC.
    "That is now being addressed and they are working their way through putting serious offenders on a risk-assessed basis on the PNC.""That is now being addressed and they are working their way through putting serious offenders on a risk-assessed basis on the PNC."