Conservative conference: Vow to end automatic privacy of criminals

In a statement issued to accompany shadow justice secretary Dominic Grieve's speech to conference, the party pledged to issue guidance to all agencies charged with protecting the public on the frontline.

The guidance will list scenarios indicating where disclosure is permissible, most obviously where it would assist the arrest of a fugitive.

But the party has indicated child welfare will remain paramount, saying the guidance will urge greater weight to be given to retaining criminals' privacy where the safety of children is involved.

In his speech, Grieve signalled the Tories would boost efforts to rehabilitate offenders in prison, particularly in tackling drug abuse and improving skills.

"A Conservative government will expand abstinence-based rehabilitation from existing budgets to get addicts off drugs, not left hooked in a cycle of addiction," said Grieve.

 "Prisoners should also be put to productive work in prison. If we improve the skills of offenders in our prisons, then we improve their chances of getting a job."

He did not distinguish between adult criminals and young offenders.

Grieve reiterated the party's pledge to make crime statistics independent of government. He cited ex-Youth Justice Board chair Rod Morgan's recent "smoke and mirrors" slur on Labour's claim of a 10 per cent fall in young people entering the criminal justice system.