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| Blair defends Home Office record | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The Prime Minister has defended the running of the Home Office and the government's record on prisons. | |
| Tony Blair was speaking in an interview for the Politics Show to be shown on BBC1 later. He conceded prisons were "full to bursting point". | |
| But he said 20,000 new prison places had been created and there would be a further 8,000 added to that total soon. | |
| Mr Blair said overcrowding was partly due to people being in jail for longer. | |
| The reason we're dealing with these now is that for the first time there is a process in place to deal with them Tony Blair | |
| Mr Blair said: "Why are prisons full to the bursting point? | |
| "You've got a situation where, today, people are in prison for longer and you've got, of course, the new indeterminate sentences - where people can be kept in for an indeterminate period if they remain a danger to the public. | |
| "None of us are saying there haven't been big problems at the Home Office but let's be clear, some of these things like foreign prisoners or these offences that have been committed abroad by British people who then return back home. | |
| "The reason we're dealing with these now is that for the first time there is a process in place to deal with them." | |
| Sentencing row | |
| The Prime Minister's comments come after Lord Chief Justice Lord Phillips - the most senior judge in England and Wales - backed the Home Secretary John Reid over advising judges to consider prison overcrowding when sentencing. | |
| Lord Phillips said Mr Reid was not instructing judges to stop imposing prison terms. | |
| He confirmed that Mr Reid had been simply re-stating existing guidelines, adding that the advice was "helpful". | He confirmed that Mr Reid had been simply re-stating existing guidelines, adding that the advice was "helpful". |
| The advice to judges and magistrates in England and Wales was given jointly by Mr Reid, the lord chancellor and the attorney general. | The advice to judges and magistrates in England and Wales was given jointly by Mr Reid, the lord chancellor and the attorney general. |
| It prompted two senior judges to hold back from imposing custodial sentences on two sex offenders. | It prompted two senior judges to hold back from imposing custodial sentences on two sex offenders. |
| LATEST HOME OFFICE PRESSURES 27 January...The News of the World claims 322 convicted sex offenders are missing across the UK26 January....Home Secretary John Reid denies telling judges to give softer sentences to ease prison overcrowding26 January....England and Wales Youth Justice Board head Rod Morgan quits over youth prisons' overcrowding25 January....Risk of being a victim of crime in England and Wales rises for the first time since 1995, figures suggest21 January....Proposals reveal the Home Office may be split in two to cover justice and security14 January Senior civil servant suspended over failure to update police records of Britons convicted abroad | |
| But some judges said they would ignore the guidance when handing down sentences. | But some judges said they would ignore the guidance when handing down sentences. |
| Lord Phillips said: "In this statement attention was drawn to the fact that prison population is currently running very close to capacity. | Lord Phillips said: "In this statement attention was drawn to the fact that prison population is currently running very close to capacity. |
| "There is well and long established authority of the Court of Appeal that in such circumstances it is appropriate for the judge to have regard to prison overcrowding." | |
| However, retired judge, Keith Matthewman, told BBC News he had never been asked to consider the prison situation when sentencing offenders. | However, retired judge, Keith Matthewman, told BBC News he had never been asked to consider the prison situation when sentencing offenders. |
| "I don't know any judge in this country who's ever heard of this being said, that this is something that you take into consideration when you pass sentence," he said. | "I don't know any judge in this country who's ever heard of this being said, that this is something that you take into consideration when you pass sentence," he said. |
| "You can't take it into consideration. You've got to pass sentence on the crime." | "You can't take it into consideration. You've got to pass sentence on the crime." |
| Mr Reid denied that he told judges to give criminals softer sentences to ease prison overcrowding, insisting serious offenders should still be locked up. | Mr Reid denied that he told judges to give criminals softer sentences to ease prison overcrowding, insisting serious offenders should still be locked up. |
| A Home Office spokesman said Lord Phillips had reiterated what the home secretary, the lord chancellor and the attorney general have said all along. | A Home Office spokesman said Lord Phillips had reiterated what the home secretary, the lord chancellor and the attorney general have said all along. |