Home Office division creates Ministry of Justice

The Home Office has been split in two a year on from Home Secretary John Reid's comments that it was "not fit for purpose."

A new Ministry of Justice has been formed, headed by the Lord Chancellor, Lord Falconer, who will take responsibility for probation and sentencing.

Dr Reid said: "The world doesn't stand still and neither should we. That's why we have refocused the Home Office on the issues that matter most to the public - crime, immigration and protection against terrorism.

"These are the great issues of our time - issues of personal, community and national security. It is right that they should be the focus of the new Home Office that comes into being today - a Home Office dedicated to protecting the public and securing the future."

The Home Office will target fighting crime and terrorism and protecting borders. Included in the new Home Office is an Office for Security and Counter-terrorism, which will be the nation's specialists in fighting the threat of terrorism.

The Home Secretary said the Home Office will now devote all of its attention to its most important role: protecting the public.

"The newly formed Border and Immigration Agency will build on successes in bringing asylum claims to their lowest level in 10 years, and removing record numbers of people who have no right to be here," he said.

"We will build a national ID card scheme to combat illegal immigration, organised crime and international terrorism, and we will continue to deliver on our commitment to protect the public from crime and anti-social behaviour."

Dr Reid said the new anti-terror unit "will ensure a seamless response to the terrorist threat."

The Ministry of Justice will be responsible for criminal law and sentencing, reducing re-offending, and prisons and probation will transfer from the Home Office to a new Ministry of Justice, built around the Department for Constitutional Affairs.

Unveiled as the UK's first Secretary of State for Justice, Lord Falconer said it made sense to bring together all the people involved in the justice system.

He said: "It makes sense to bring under one roof everyone looking after the criminal and civil courts, sentencing, imprisonment, community penalties and rehabilitation.

"This is a huge step forward in making sure we have a justice system that works for the public, punishes the guilty and offers a realistic prospect of rehabilitation for the contrite."

The Ministry of Justice comprises the National Offender Management Service from the former Home Office, the Office for Criminal Justice Reform and the Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA).

The new department will have responsibility for the courts, sentencing, prisons, rehabilitation plus DCA policies like voting, crown dependencies, human rights, tribunals and freedom of information.

Lord Falconer warned the Ministry of Justice would still have plenty to do: "Issues like prison overcrowding will not disappear overnight. But with the right resources at the right time I am confident we can make a real difference to the quality of justice delivered in this country."

Prime Minister Tony Blair defending the changes said they would ensure the "seamless" management of offenders.

Tory Leader David Cameron said that there would be a huge distraction caused by the reorganisation of the departments.

A special meeting of the Judges' Council is to be held next week to discuss the implications of the departmental changes.

(SP/KMcA)