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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Reforms 'boost' anti-terror fight | Reforms 'boost' anti-terror fight |
| (about 6 hours later) | |
| Splitting up the Home Office will greatly improve Britain's security, Home Secretary John Reid is to say. | Splitting up the Home Office will greatly improve Britain's security, Home Secretary John Reid is to say. |
| The new Office for Security and Counter Terrorism will play a "pivotal role" in allowing the home secretary to focus on national security, Mr Reid will argue. | The new Office for Security and Counter Terrorism will play a "pivotal role" in allowing the home secretary to focus on national security, Mr Reid will argue. |
| The Home Office is to be split from 9 May, to concentrate on crime reduction, terrorism and mass migration. | The Home Office is to be split from 9 May, to concentrate on crime reduction, terrorism and mass migration. |
| In a speech Mr Reid will claim that the changes will provide a "more agile" response to the terrorist threat. | In a speech Mr Reid will claim that the changes will provide a "more agile" response to the terrorist threat. |
| Terror threat | Terror threat |
| He will tell a conference organised by the Royal United Services Institute: "It is vital that in the 21st Century we have a department concentrating on managing migration, cutting crime and tackling terrorism. | He will tell a conference organised by the Royal United Services Institute: "It is vital that in the 21st Century we have a department concentrating on managing migration, cutting crime and tackling terrorism. |
| "The new Office for Security and Counter Terrorism will play a pivotal role in this by enabling the Home Office to focus on personal, community and national security. | "The new Office for Security and Counter Terrorism will play a pivotal role in this by enabling the Home Office to focus on personal, community and national security. |
| "It will provide that faster, brighter and more agile response to the terrorist threat through a new drive, cohesion, and by providing a greater strategic capacity to our fight against terrorism." | "It will provide that faster, brighter and more agile response to the terrorist threat through a new drive, cohesion, and by providing a greater strategic capacity to our fight against terrorism." |
| It also allows the home secretary to be able to get up every morning and to say: 'The highest priority on my mind is the protection of the nation John Reid | It also allows the home secretary to be able to get up every morning and to say: 'The highest priority on my mind is the protection of the nation John Reid |
| On Tuesday, Mr Reid told MPs that the Home Office would start recruiting for a director general immediately and hoped he or she would be in place within seven weeks. | On Tuesday, Mr Reid told MPs that the Home Office would start recruiting for a director general immediately and hoped he or she would be in place within seven weeks. |
| He also defended the changes against recent criticisms - such as those by former lord chief justice Lord Woolf, who was worried that the lord chancellor's traditional role would be watered down because of his new responsibilities when the Department for Constitutional Affairs has its functions taken over by the new Ministry of Justice. | |
| Mr Reid told MPs that boosting the Home Office's counter-terrorism was expected to cost £15m and Permanent Secretary Sir David Normington confirmed the department would recruit an extra 150 staff to work in the area. | Mr Reid told MPs that boosting the Home Office's counter-terrorism was expected to cost £15m and Permanent Secretary Sir David Normington confirmed the department would recruit an extra 150 staff to work in the area. |
| Plans criticised | Plans criticised |
| "This is not just redesignating a minister," Mr Reid told MPs. | "This is not just redesignating a minister," Mr Reid told MPs. |
| HOME OFFICE SPLIT Home Office remains responsible for security, policing, counter-terrorism, immigration, borders and ID cardsMinistry of Justice takes charge of courts, prisons, sentencing policy, probation | |
| "This is adding real capacity, strategic thought, integration, personnel, and resources in the battle against counter terrorism. | "This is adding real capacity, strategic thought, integration, personnel, and resources in the battle against counter terrorism. |
| "It also allows the home secretary to be able to get up every morning and to say: 'The highest priority on my mind is the protection of the nation, and the combating of terrorism along with personal and community security'." | "It also allows the home secretary to be able to get up every morning and to say: 'The highest priority on my mind is the protection of the nation, and the combating of terrorism along with personal and community security'." |
| The plans to split the Home Office have attracted criticism from some former home secretaries - notably Mr Reid's predecessors, Charles Clarke and David Blunkett. | The plans to split the Home Office have attracted criticism from some former home secretaries - notably Mr Reid's predecessors, Charles Clarke and David Blunkett. |
| On Tuesday Lord Woolf told the BBC that, with his added responsibilities, the lord chancellor could find it harder to safeguard the integrity of the court service and judiciary. | On Tuesday Lord Woolf told the BBC that, with his added responsibilities, the lord chancellor could find it harder to safeguard the integrity of the court service and judiciary. |
| He was worried changes were happening too quickly, and without adequate consultation. | He was worried changes were happening too quickly, and without adequate consultation. |
| 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. | 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." | "This is a very big change for our constitution." |