The government officially launched the new Ministry of Justice today, Lord Falconer the new Secretary of State for Justice said, the purpose of the department is

to get better outcomes from the justice system in favour of the public.

As the new ministry starts work, Juliet Lyon, director of the Prison Reform Trust calls for consistent leadership, proper planning and an end to crisis management.  

The prison population has just reached a new record exceeding 80,600, growing at over 200 a week, the size of a small prison. At this rate the government has two weeks left before both jails and the emergency police cells are full to their limit.

It must act now to reserve scarce places for serious and violent offenders. This may mean using the safety valve of executive release for petty offenders but, more importantly, it means getting to grips with needless overcrowding by diverting mentally ill people and addicts into treatment and reviewing any unnecessary recalls to custody. 

We have already had three Home Secretaries in just over three years, and over Labour’s ten years, an almost annual turnover of prison ministers. What’s lacking from this continuing game of musical ministerial chairs is consistent leadership and proper planning.

The ministerial team is:

• The Rt Hon Lord Falconer of Thoroton QC (Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor)
• The Rt Hon Harriet Harman QC MP (Minister of State)
• The Rt Hon David Hanson MP (Minister of State)
• The Rt Hon Baroness Ashton of Upholland (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State)
• Gerry Sutcliffe MP (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State)
• Bridget Prentice MP (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State)
• Vera Baird MP (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State) Northern Ireland Office

Ministry of Justice website

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