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Home Office




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The Home Office is a large United Kingdom Government Department , responsible for internal affairs, such as security, crime, drugs, counter-terrorism and ID cards. It continues to be known, especially in official papers, as in former times as the '''Home Department'''.


ORGANISATION


The Home Office is currently undergoing a major reform programme, following well-publicised issues in early 2006 . This is the current organisation of the Home Office, but is likely to change. It is also immensely complex as there are many sub-groups within the Home Office such as the National Offender Management Service , who look after HM Prison Service and the Probation Service , and the Border And Immigration Agency , who look after inward migration and asylum applications to the United Kingdom . The Home Office is also responsible for the Counter-Terrorism And Intelligence Directorate , which manages the UK's response to terrorist incidents through the emergency and Security Services , and develops legislation relating to Terrorism .

On 28 March 2007 it was announced that the Department For Constitutional Affairs would take control of probation, prisons and prevention of re-offending in England and Wales from the Home Office and be renamed the Ministry Of Justice . Home Office Split BBC News Online This took effect on 9th May 2007.


Objectives of the Home Office

The Home Office has the following stated objectives Home Office aims :

  • To cut Crime , especially violent and drug-related crime

  • To ensure people feel safer in their homes and daily lives, particularly through more visible, responsive and accountable policing

  • To protect the UK from Terrorist attack

  • To rebalance the Criminal Justice System in favour of the law-abiding majority and victims

  • To manage offenders in order to protect the public and reduce re-offending

  • To secure the borders of the United Kingdom , prevent abuse of Immigration laws and manage migration to the benefit of the UK.



Ministers



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HISTORY


On March 27 1782 , the Home Office was formed by renaming the existing Southern Department , with all existing staff transferring. On the same day, the Northern Department was renamed the Foreign Office .

To match the new names, there was a transferring of responsibilities between the two Departments of State. All domestic responsibilities were moved to the Home Office, and all foreign matters became the concern of the Foreign Office.

All subsequent domestic departments have been formed by splitting responsibilities away from the Home Office.

The initial responsibilities were:
  • answering Petition s and addresses sent to the King

  • advising the King on

  • ---royal grants

  • --- Warrant s and Commission s

  • ---the exercise of Royal Prerogative

  • issuing instructions on behalf of the King to officers of The Crown , Lords Lieutenant and Magistrates , mainly concerning law and order

  • operation of the secret service within the UK

  • protecting the public

  • safeguarding the rights and liberties of individuals


Responsibilities were subsequently changed over the years that followed Changes to Home Office responsibilities :

The Home Office retains a variety of functions that have not found a home elsewhere, and sit oddly with the main law-and-order focus of the department, such as regulation of British Summer Time .


Permanent Under Secretaries of State of the Home Office



Departmental Agencies



LOCATION

, London ]]
From 1978 to 2004, the Home Office was located in a Brutalist block in Queen Anne's Gate in Westminster designed by Sir Basil Spence , close to St. James's Park Tube Station . Many functions, however, were devolved to offices in other parts of London and the country, notably the headquarters of the Immigration And Nationality Directorate in Croydon .

In Spring 2005, the Home Office moved to a new main office designed by Sir deal intended to last for around 29 years.


REFERENCES


From 1978 to 2004, the Home Office was located in a Brutalist block in Queen Anne's Gate in Westminster designed by Sir Basil Spence, close to St. James's Park tube station. Many functions, however, were devolved to offices in other parts of London and the country, notably the headquarters of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate in Croydon.

In Spring 2005, the Home Office moved to a new main office designed by architect Sir Terry Farrell at 2 Marsham Street, Westminster, on the site of the demolished Marsham Towers building of the Department of the Environment. {Link without Title} The contract to build the new headquarters was a public-private partnership deal intended to last for around 29 years.

The architect worked with artist Liam Gillick to enhance the facade of the building. The works of art have been cited as key factors in the design awards won by the project. Other artists were commissioned to create works in the public areas around the building -- including Georgie Hopton, Roger Hiorns,Runa Islam, Simon Periton and Gary Webb.


SEE ALSO



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