The Big Question: Is the Home Office too large and unwieldy to do its job properly?


I have just been reading The Big Question: Is the Home Office too large and unwieldy to do its job properly? And I have to say that I agree with the article when it argues that the “scale and variety of the Department's responsibilities are bewildering”.


I believe that what we need is to bring together all the agencies that are working to prevent crime and terrorism. There should be a cabinet member responsible for criminal justice, policing, security and community safety. However I believe powers and influence on policing and community safety should also be devolved further to local councils some of them could manage on their own due to the area and population they are responsible for. Others may find that they are not large enough or think that they are not competent enough and want to come together and work with neighbouring councils to manage their policing. For example in Birmingham the councils may think that they could manage policing in their area due to its area and population size but other smaller councils in the surrounding area might think that they do not cover a large enough area or population and so decide to come together with neighbouring councils to try and manage their policing and community safety together.


I think that responsibilities for nationality, citizenship and immigration should be the business of another government altogether.


I hope that soon Members of Parliament will realise that the Home office is “too large and unwieldy to do its job properly” and start pressuring the government to introduce reforms.