Downing Street Says » Home Office

Asked what the current view was on the Home Office being split up, the PMOS replied that what had changed was the increasingly complex nature of terrorism and the challenge faced by terrorism. On the basis of that, John Reid had put forward a serious suggestion to the Prime Minister, and the Prime Minister would want to consider that with the Government as a whole. There was a serious threat, and a new kind of threat in terms of international terrorism, so we had to see where that led to.

Put that one of the problems was the lack of communications, and the left hand did not know what the right hand was doing, and wouldn’t a split make that worse, the PMOS replied that the time to respond to that sort of question was when the Prime Minister took a view after consulting his colleagues. There was a new kind of terrorism out there that was that increasingly complex, and this was an issue that was facing every developed and developing country. It was therefore right and proper that we looked hard at this issue of what was the best way to organise resources to fight that new kind of terrorism.

Asked if it was the Prime Minister’s intention to set out the strategy and sign it off before he left office, or would it be something that was handed on to his successor, the PMOS replied that John Reid had been looking at the fight against terrorism. These were issues which in general, and in particular, would be part of that.

Asked if the Prime Minister was aware of Sir David Omand’s idea that it should be the Cabinet Office that had a more "beefed up" role, rather than the Home Office with regards to counter-terrorism, the PMOS said that this was a subject in which there were many views. The important thing was to come to a considered decision, and that was what the Prime Minister would do.

Asked what the timetable on this would be, the PMOS replied that it would take as long as it would take. Because of the seriousness of the issues involved, there was always a tension between the urgency with which it had to be addressed, the thoroughness with which it was done, as well as the need to consult the various bits of Government which were involved too. It was somewhere in that balance that would result in a timetable.

Put that the Prime Minister had yet to take a view on this, the PMOS said: yes. What we had now had was a serious report from John Reid which would need serious consideration. However, until the Prime Minister had fully consulted all his colleagues, he would not take a position himself until that process of consultation was completed.

Put that the report was handed in before Christmas, the PMOS said that he was not going to get into the processology, except to say that these were very serious issues and they did need a lot of consultation within Government.

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» Monday, January 22, 2007

Home Office

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