Reid to be grilled by MPs on foreign convictions blunder

Last updated at 10:11 15 January 2007


John Reid is facing a grilling from MPs over the foreign convictions crisis amid claims that hundreds of dangerous criminals could have reoffended.

The Home Secretary was appearing in the Commons after announcing yesterday that one of his senior officials had been suspended over the blunder which led to 540 offenders being left off the police computer.

Mr Reid also announced a review of all government criminal databases and was expected to update MPs on the progress on an internal inquiry. Today, however, probation officers accused him of a "dereliction of duty" as they warned that hundreds, rather than the estimated 80 convicts, were likely to have reoffended since returning to Britain.

Harry Fletcher, assistant general secretary of the National Association of Probation Officers, said: "We would expect the final figure to be at least 300."

The scandal - first revealed by the Standard - erupted last week when ministers were forced to admit that the files of more than 27,000 Britons convicted abroad had been left lying in boxes at the Home Office instead of being entered on the police national computer or the sex offenders register.

The Home Office says none of the violent or serious sex offenders have been cleared to work with children or vulnerable adults.

The department has admitted, however, that five offenders, four with drugs convictions and one with a trafficking conviction, have been approved for such jobs.

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