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Reid faces MPs over crime files Ministers 'hiding' truth - Davis
(about 6 hours later)
Home Secretary John Reid is to face questions from MPs about the failure to provide police with details of crimes committed by Britons in Europe. Ministers are "hiding" the truth over the failure to provide police with details of crimes committed by Britons in Europe, the Conservatives have said.
It emerged last week that the Home Office had a backlog of files on 27,000 cases which should have been entered onto the Police National Computer. A Home Office official was suspended after it emerged there was a backlog of files on 27,000 cases which should be on the Police National Computer.
An unnamed senior civil servant has been suspended after offering information to an internal inquiry. Shadow Home Secretary David Davis said it was "nonsense" not to give the public more information immediately.
The Home Office is expected to issue a statement on Monday. But the government says an internal investigation will be completed soon.
Mr Reid is planning a thorough overhaul of databases carrying details of criminal convictions, while ministers are also meeting officials from across Europe in the hope of encouraging more thorough notification of Britons committing offences. The unnamed senior civil servant has been suspended after offering information to the inquiry.
The database review, subject to agreement by Cabinet colleagues, will include systems such as the police national computer, the Criminal Records Bureau and lists of football hooligans, as well as the way information is shared and exchanged between the UK, the rest of the EU and other countries. 'Bogus nonsense'
Shadow Home Secretary David Davis said the database review was a "desperate piece of news management". Mr Davis asked, during Home Office questions in the House of Commons: "Why is it that civil servants get suspended for telling the truth and ministers do not for hiding it?"
Dresden meeting He said: "What's gone wrong in this fiasco...who's responsible...and what's going to be done about it?
Senior sources have told the BBC that Mr Reid's next priority is to get the police and probation services to assess and, if necessary, provide supervision for those offenders whose crimes were not logged on the police computer and who are deemed a risk. "Since this may involve ministerial decisions, it's entirely inappropriate for a civil servant to carry out the inquiry.
Minister Joan Ryan is to meet EU counterparts in Dresden to discuss improving systems for sharing information. "It's also bogus nonsense to claim that an internal investigation should preclude the public from knowing what has happened."
Home Secretary John Reid has said he is planning an overhaul of databases carrying details of criminal convictions.
Subject to agreement by Cabinet colleagues, this will look at systems such as the police national computer, the Criminal Records Bureau and lists of football hooligans.
'Uable to cope'
Mr Reid told MPs he wanted an "overall review of all of the data collection relating to criminality in this country, because I think that the volume and the mobility of criminality now and the transportation - the easy transportation nowadays - means that we are living in a different age".
He added that "the old systems, as illustrated by some of the problems we're facing, haven't always been able to cope".
Meanwhile, Home Office Minister Joan Ryan has been meeting officials from across Europe in the hope of encouraging more thorough notification of Britons committing offences outside the UK.
She is expected to ask for biometric information, such as fingerprints, to become part of the data on criminals passed between EU governments.She is expected to ask for biometric information, such as fingerprints, to become part of the data on criminals passed between EU governments.
Mr Reid and his ministers Ms Ryan and Tony McNulty have insisted they were not told of the backlog in notifications of British criminals' European convictions or police requests for resources to clear it. Mr Reid, Ms Ryan and fellow Home Office minister Tony McNulty have insisted they were not told of the backlog in notifications of British criminals' European convictions or police requests for resources to clear it.
But they have accepted that meetings took place between department officials and police about the problem.But they have accepted that meetings took place between department officials and police about the problem.
The Association of Chief Police Officers, which now has responsibility for updating police records, sent a letter to Mr McNulty in October warning of the difficulties in processing notifications.The Association of Chief Police Officers, which now has responsibility for updating police records, sent a letter to Mr McNulty in October warning of the difficulties in processing notifications.
Violent offencesViolent offences
That was passed on to Ms Ryan, who has responsibility for the Criminal Records Bureau.That was passed on to Ms Ryan, who has responsibility for the Criminal Records Bureau.
Of the 27,000 case files involved in the backlog, 540 were for serious or violent offences.Of the 27,000 case files involved in the backlog, 540 were for serious or violent offences.
It has been confirmed that four drug offenders and a people smuggler had passed Criminal Records Bureau checks to work with children or vulnerable adults.It has been confirmed that four drug offenders and a people smuggler had passed Criminal Records Bureau checks to work with children or vulnerable adults.
But no violent or sexual offenders appear to have slipped through the net.But no violent or sexual offenders appear to have slipped through the net.
And it is now thought that about 70 of those 540 serious offenders not logged on the system have been convicted of a further offence since returning to the UK.And it is now thought that about 70 of those 540 serious offenders not logged on the system have been convicted of a further offence since returning to the UK.
The head of the National Association of Probation Officers, Harry Fletcher, said others may have disappeared, changed their names or gone abroad again.The head of the National Association of Probation Officers, Harry Fletcher, said others may have disappeared, changed their names or gone abroad again.