MINISTRY OF JUSTICE
News Release (012-08) issued by The Government News Network on 29
January 2008
A new structure
for the Ministry of Justice, which will protect the public, reduce
re-offending and improve access to justice has been announced
today by the Justice Secretary Jack Straw.
In May 2007 the Ministry of Justice was created, bringing
together the responsibilities of the Department for Constitutional
Affairs with the National Offender Management Service from the
Home Office and the trilateral Office for Criminal Justice Reform.
A review of the department's structure began shortly
afterwards to ensure that it is focused on its key operational and
policy aims, including prisons and probation. This review has also
taken full account of the Carter review of Prisons, published on 5
December 2007.
The new top structure will come into place on 1 April with the
more detailed changes being implemented over the following few
months to provide a coherent structure for managing the
Department's key challenges - public protection and reducing
re-offending, constitutional reform, and access to justice.
The key changes are in the National Offender Management Service
(NOMS) where H M Prison Service and the Probation Service will be
brought together in NOMS under a streamlined headquarters and
regional structure so as to improve the focus on frontline
delivery of prisons and probation and improve efficiency.
Justice Secretary Jack Straw said:
"The new structure will provide the Ministry of Justice with
a sharper focus on its key priorities, including public protection
and reducing re-offending, and improving relations with the
judiciary, while streamlining leadership across the whole of the
Department's agenda.
"These changes will ensure a more joined-up approach to
issues of justice and constitutional reform and will ensure that
we create the right conditions for the delivery of the Ministry of
Justice's wide agenda."
Notes to editors:
1. The review of the department follows, and was informed by,
Lord Carter's review of prisons, which the Justice Secretary
reported to Parliament on 5 December 2007, and the work to develop
a partnership relationship with the judiciary, which the Justice
Secretary reported to Parliament on 23 January 2008.
2. The Ministry of Justice was created on 9 May 2007. It brings
together the former responsibilities of the Department for
Constitutional Affairs with the National Offender Management
Service from the Home Office and the trilateral Office for
Criminal Justice Reform. The new Department has a wide ranging
remit with major delivery responsibilities for prisons and
probation, the courts and tribunals, legal aid and more, as well
as important policy responsibilities ranging from constitutional
reform and devolution, democracy and human rights to the justice system.
3. The changes are set out in the Written Ministerial statement.
Apart from the Chief Executive of the streamlined NOMS, there will
be a Director-General for Criminal Justice & Offender
Management Strategy who will set the strategic direction for
offender management and will work with the judiciary on the
proposals for a Sentencing Commission. A Director-General for
Democracy, Constitution and Law will bring together work on the
Governance of Britain agenda launched by the Prime Minister last
July, leading work on constitutional reform, democratic
engagement, devolution and information management for government.
Responsibilities for justice issues will be placed under a
Director-General for Access to Justice, who will lead a group
which brings together the courts and tribunals with legal aid and
regulation of the legal profession. A Corporate Performance
Director General will bring together the key cross cutting
functions in the Ministry of Justice.
ENDS
http://www.justice.gov.uk