Dividing the Home Office in Two

BBC: Home Office could be split in two

The crisis-hit Home Office could be split into two departments under recommendations put forward by Home Secretary John Reid.

One department would deal with security and the other with justice, with each being run by its own cabinet minister, said BBC correspondent James Hardy.

Mr Reid said the department was not fit for purpose when he took over last year, and is presiding over a shake-up.

The Home Office has been hit by a series of blunders in recent months.

Interesting, very interesting, while its only breaking news as I type this so the details are rather lacking the basic idea is that the Home Office is to be split into two separate departments, one of which will deal with security and the other justice, which could mean anything to be honest.

However, I think the principle of splitting the Home Office into more manageable departments is a good one, its too big currently and would work better divided up, then again it depends on how exactly its divided up.

edit:

The BBC have updated:

Ministry of Justice: probation, prisons and the such like.

National Security Department: anti-terrorism, immigration and the various security services.

Probably a decent split of the Home Office by the looks of it, but still its only currently a proposal even if its from Reid himself and details are basic at the moment.




[edit on 20-1-2007 by UK Wizard]

It doesn't surprise me, in fact it's possibly one of the long-term measures that will be looked back upon as well done, long overdue and about time too.

The Home Office has been an expensive, bloated mess and probably out of any real control for decades.

Almost every Home Secretary that took office in the last 30 yrs+ has suffered at it's hands with one scandal or another thanks to it's labyrinthine over-complication.

Is it just me or is anyone else uncomfortable with the term "Ministry of Justice".. Seems to much like, well, the kind of thing you'd here from the ex-Soviets..

"Comrade Bollockov has been detained by the Ministry of Justice for questioning and he will undergo re-education"

Or a bit Judge Dredd too....

Originally posted by stumason
Is it just me or is anyone else uncomfortable with the term "Ministry of Justice".. Seems to much like, well, the kind of thing you'd here from the ex-Soviets..

- I'd much prefer a 'Ministry of Truth'!

I just hope they don't name the security branch the "Department for Homeland Security". Never liked that name, and I don't know why. It won't fit in with other British institutions anyway. But yeah, they need to put some effort in with the names.

I'm interested to see how the organisation will work. Will each be run by a Minister who will report to the Home Secretary who will represent them in Cabinet? Or will each department be run by a Secretary of State who has a place in the Cabinet?

I believe the intention is for both departments to be cabinet level jobs which makes good sense I think.

For names, how about,

The Department For Taking Care Of Nice People

and

The Department For Taking Care Of Bad People

Sounds fine

I wonder which one John Reid will be moved to. I suspect it'll be security, since the justice element is perhaps capable of going to the Dept. of Constitutional Affairs.

Yeah, I think that is one plan for the Dept of Constitutional Affairs - but can't remember where I read that.

Whatever happens it will be after Blair goes so there's no certainty Reid will still be at the Home Office at all. I'm not convinced that Brown will want Reid in one of the major offices although I'm far from convinced he has enough other front bench quality available.

Of course, it could always be Reid who's chosing who goes where...

Interior minister and Justic Minister.

Better and more modern, most European Countries go on that system.