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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Woolf fears Home office reforms | Woolf fears Home office reforms |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| The split-up of the Home Office is happening too fast and without adequate consultation, former lord chief justice Lord Woolf has warned. | The split-up of the Home Office is happening too fast and without adequate consultation, former lord chief justice Lord Woolf has warned. |
| The Department for Constitutional Affairs is due to become the Ministry of Justice and take over probation and prisons from the Home Office. | The Department for Constitutional Affairs is due to become the Ministry of Justice and take over probation and prisons from the Home Office. |
| In a BBC interview, Lord Woolf expressed grave concerns about the changes coming into effect next month. | In a BBC interview, Lord Woolf expressed grave concerns about the changes coming into effect next month. |
| He also said he fears the reforms could jeopardise individual liberties. | He also said he fears the reforms could jeopardise individual liberties. |
| 'Big change' | |
| When he announced the changes at the end of March, Home Secretary John Reid said they were needed to meet the changing threats to the world. | |
| Under the split, the Home Office will concentrate on dealing with terrorism, security and immigration. | Under the split, the Home Office will concentrate on dealing with terrorism, security and immigration. |
| I hope that the planning of these changes is going to be very, very carefully worked out Lord Woolf Lord Woolf airs fears to MPs | I hope that the planning of these changes is going to be very, very carefully worked out Lord Woolf Lord Woolf airs fears to MPs |
| Lord Woolf told Radio 4's Today programme that, with added responsibility for prisons and probation, the lord chancellor is likely to find it harder to safeguard the integrity of the court service and judiciary. | Lord Woolf told Radio 4's Today programme that, with added responsibility for prisons and probation, the lord chancellor is likely to find it harder to safeguard the integrity of the court service and judiciary. |
| He said: "We should work it out beforehand and not wait until we have created the change and then somehow or other try to scramble to get it into place. | |
| "This is a very big change for our constitution." | |
| His words come just a week after he said the plans to split the Home Office should be planned carefully to avoid repeating old problems in the new department. | His words come just a week after he said the plans to split the Home Office should be planned carefully to avoid repeating old problems in the new department. |
| He told the home affairs select committee: "I hope that the planning of these changes is going to be very, very carefully worked out, because they aren't straightforward. | He told the home affairs select committee: "I hope that the planning of these changes is going to be very, very carefully worked out, because they aren't straightforward. |
| "There will be very substantial managerial consequences to deal with." | "There will be very substantial managerial consequences to deal with." |
| Lord Woolf added: "What I would be concerned about if I were still chief justice is that the prisons have an amazing capacity to absorb money as the population increases more than expected. | Lord Woolf added: "What I would be concerned about if I were still chief justice is that the prisons have an amazing capacity to absorb money as the population increases more than expected. |
| "I am worried that as far as I know no steps are being taken to ring fence the resources which are available for the justice system as a whole, and to the courts in particular." | "I am worried that as far as I know no steps are being taken to ring fence the resources which are available for the justice system as a whole, and to the courts in particular." |