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Restructured Home Office splits Blair defends Home Office split
(1 day later)
A restructured Home Office is to begin operating, with the Ministry of Justice taking control of prisons, probation and sentencing. Prime Minister Tony Blair has defended splitting up the Home Office, saying it "makes sense" to allow the department to focus on terrorism.
Under the split, the Home Office will retain policy for security, crime, drugs, counter-terrorism and ID cards. A new Justice Ministry has taken on responsibility for prisons, probation and sentencing from the Home Office.
The split was made after Home Secretary John Reid said his department was "not fit for purpose" a year ago. Critics say the split will compound the existing problems and create new ones.
He is to quit when PM Tony Blair resigns, while the Lord Chancellor will head the new Ministry of Justice. But Mr Blair told MPs on that it was sensible to have one department controlling prisons, probation and courts, as other countries did.
Lord Falconer is expected to outline his first policies during his first day in charge. The new Ministry of Justice, which starts operating from Wednesday, will take on responsibility for prisons, probation and sentencing, while the Home Office will keep responsibility for security, crime, drugs, counter-terrorism and ID cards.
Expanded ministerial team 'Last thing needed'
One of the issues facing the ministry will be the overcrowding of prisons in England and Wales, where a record number of people are being held. Mr Blair was responding to criticism from Tory leader David Cameron, who said: "The last thing a department in crisis needs is the huge distraction of a big reorganisation."
The Home Office restructure will compound existing problems and create new ones David DavisShadow Home Secretary In a reference to John Reid, who has said he will step down as home secretary when Mr Blair resigns, Mr Cameron added: "If splitting the Home Office is such a good idea - why isn't the home secretary hanging around to see it through?"
Mr Reid announced just days before the split that he would not remain in the post once Mr Blair steps down - expected to be in June, with Chancellor Gordon Brown seen as the next Labour leader. I believe it's right to take the prisons and probation out of the home office and into a new ministry of justice Tony Blair
He has said the Home Office will be boosted by the creation of the Office for Security and Counter-Terrorism, while Lord Falconer has said the new ministry would mean "better justice outcomes for the public" . Mr Blair replied that a Tory proposal to have a separate counter terrorism Cabinet minister in the Home Office was "very foolish" and it was important to allow the Home Office to focus on fighting terrorism.
Lord Falconer will have a new minister of state, David Hanson, formerly of the Northern Ireland Office, and Home Office probation minister Gerry Sutcliffe will transfer to his ministry bringing the ministerial team to seven. He added: "I believe it's right to take the prisons and probation out of the Home Office and into a new ministry of justice."
The rest of the former Department of Constitutional Affairs (DCA) ministerial team will remain the same with Harriet Harman, Baroness Ashton, Bridget Prentice and Vera Baird. Judges have expressed concern that courts and prisons will share a budget and they may have to choose between losing staff or passing shorter sentences.
The Home Office will have one less minister - at six - the first time it has had fewer than the DCA. The Conservatives reiterated their criticism of the split, saying it would help neither the Home Office nor the DCA to handle their "problems". Judges' meeting
'Rewarding failure' In a statement, the Lord Chief Justice Lord Phillips - the top judge in England and Wales - said "full agreement" had yet to be reached with the government. He said a special meeting of the Judges' Council would be staged next Tuesday to discuss the situation.
Shadow Home Secretary David Davis said: "The Home Office restructure will compound existing problems and create new ones. It will cost money, distract the management and introduce new divisions and communication failures. Bar Council chairman Geoffrey Vos QC also raised concerns, saying legal aid should be made a high priority and the funding of the judiciary must not depend "in any way on the crises affecting the prison system".
"Many of the crises in the Home Office have been caused by different agencies not talking to each other - the last thing you should do is put these agencies in different departments." But Lord Falconer, who will head up the new Ministry of Justice, told the BBC it would mean a better justice system with less re-offending, better public protection and more effective sentencing.
His colleague Oliver Heald, shadow Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs, added: "Yet again the government is rewarding failure. Increasing the Department for Constitutional Affair's functions when they can't deal with their current responsibilities is a recipe for disaster. HOME OFFICE SPLIT Two ministries instead of oneHome Office to refocus on security, policing, counter-terrorism, immigration, borders and ID cardsMinistry of justice for courts, prisons, sentencing policy, probation class="" href="#graphic">Who gets what in shake-up
"A serious government department simply shouldn't be run this badly. It is undermining our justice system and our democracy." "I believe it is the right thing to do," said Lord Falconer - who also retains his old role as Lord Chancellor.
"There are concerns about how the money will be split up between courts and prisons and we are discussing with the judges how safeguards can be put in place.
"But that shouldn't detract from the sole purpose of doing it, which is to get better outcomes from the justice system in favour of the public."
The changes come a year after Mr Reid took over as home secretary, saying the department was "not fit for purpose" following a series of controversies over immigration failures and the failure to consider more than 1,000 foreign prisoners for deportation.
One of the issues facing the ministry will be prison overcrowding in England and Wales, where a record number of people - more than 80,300 - are being held.
The Ministry of Justice will have seven ministers - including the existing Department for Constitutional Affairs team, Gerry Sutcliffe who is transferring from the Home Office and a new post has been created for former Northern Ireland minister David Hanson.
The Home Office will have six ministers - the first time it has had fewer than the DCA.
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