A reformed British Home Office started its operation on Wednesday, shifting its focus now to issues including crime, immigration and protection against terrorism, and other challenges of the 21st century.

Starting from Wednesday, the Home Office will have a strengthened role coordinating the response to terrorist threat in Britain alongside its responsibilities for the police, crime reduction, immigration and asylum, anti-social behavior and identity and passports.

The new Home Office comes into being after a year-long program initiated by Home Secretary John Reid, including separate reviews of the immigration and criminal justice systems and a review of counter-terrorism capability commissioned by Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Meanwhile, responsibilities for criminal law and sentencing, reducing reoffending, and prisons and probation will transfer from the Home Office to a new Ministry of Justice from Wednesday.

"A new Office for Security and Counter-terrorism will ensure a seamless response to the terrorist threat, while the newly formed Border and Immigration Agency will build on successes in bringing asylum claims to their lowest in 10 years and removing record numbers of those with no right to be here," said Home Secretary John Reid.

According to Reid, Britain will build a national ID card scheme to combat illegal immigration, organized crime and international terrorism and continue to build neighborhood policing to protect the public from crime and anti-social behavior.

"These are great issues of our time -- issues of personal, community and national security. It is right that they should be the focus of the new Home Office that comes into being today -- a Home Office dedicated to protecting the public and securing our future," he added.

Source: Xinhua