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Monday, February 19, 2007

Ministry of Justice

It would appear that Pickfords Removals might be needed very soon to move the Prison Service from within the Home Office to the soon to be set up Ministry of Justice. Today the blogger Dizzy Thinks thinks he has discovered the domain name of the website for the new department. I had to phone my mole in Prison Service HQ, today about another matter, and a few snippets of information leaked out. Although, I hasten to add, nothing has been heard officially yet. I suspect that this means that the hand wielding the rubber stamp has not reached the piece of paper for the press release.

A few weeks back, we had discussed the proposal and I was informed that originally it was intended that Charles Falconer would take over the Ministry of Justice. However, it became clear that this would not be the case because of either constitutional reasons or because of some convention. I asked who might head the new department and it was suggested that Hilary Benn MP was a good bet. And John Reid would head the department of Homeland Security. I have known my mole for over 20 years. If nothing was planned he would have said as much. It is not his job to pre-empt any official announcement. He is in the know, and went as far as someone in his position could diplomatically go without treading on the toes of any minister.

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