Scrapping Ken Clarke's liberal justice policy costs govt millions

By Charles Maggs

The Department of Justice will be unable to achieve cuts of £130 million after it scrapped Ken Clarke's liberal justice policies, according to a report.

A scheme to cut sentences for criminals who plead guilty was cancelled when Chris Grayling was installed in the Ministry of Justice as a gift to the Tory right.

"The agency has yet to pin down a plan to get back on track," Margaret Hodge, chair of the committee of public accounts, said."The task has been made even more difficult by the government's choice to limit reforms designed to combat what it describes as 'the unsustainable rise in the prison population'."

It was hoped the Clarke plan would reduce the length of sentences dished out in order make large savings and increase convictions.

The Department of Justice still aims to curb spending by £884m by March 2015.

With last year's riots putting an extra strain on jails, experts are worried that even the slightest change to the prison population could knock the Ministry of Justice's spending plans off course.

Observers are expecting Grayling to start several battles in the Ministry of Justice as he takes an altogether more right-wing approach to crime and punishment than his predecessor.

Grayling campaigned before the 2010 election as shadow home secretary promising to tear up the European Convention on Human Rights and replace it with a British Bill of Rights – a move strongly opposed by the Liberal Democrats. 

 

 

Political news to your inbox

Fill in your details to receive Politics.co.uk's brand of informed, in-depth and independent coverage of Westminster to your inbox

Hot topics

Britain's great energy debate

How the power gets to Britain's homes in the next century remains a matter of deep controversy

As the next general election begins to loom over the horizon, the debate over Britain's future energy policy mix is starting to hot up - and nothing seems guaranteed.

The Heathrow third runway debate

Heathrow's third runway is just one of many options

There won't be a final decision on Britain's long-term aviation strategy until after the 2015 general election - but an aggressive national debate is already underway.

Opinion Former Events

MRSA Action UK Annual Memorial Event

Families will pay tribute and remember those lost to MRSA and healthcare associated infections at Westminster Abbey on Thursday 13th June 2013

BSIA: Information Destruction Exhibition & Conference 2013

Following the great success of the BSIA's Information Destruction Conference and Exhibition in May 2012, we are pleased to annouce that the event is returning again in June 2013. This one-day conference and exhibition is aimed at key decision makers in organisations that carry out the secure destruction of confidential material.