Tony Blair has expressed confidence that Home Secretary John Reid will turn around the beleaguered Home Office.
The Prime Minister said Mr Reid held the "toughest job in Government" and claimed similar departments around the world faced the same difficulties.
Asked whether Mr Reid was any better than his predecessor, Charles Clarke, the Premier said: "I think the changes John is introducing are the changes that will improve hugely the quality of what the Home Office does."
Mr Blair, speaking at his monthly press conference, insisted that crime had fallen, anti-social behaviour measures were making "a real difference" and that asylum figures were down on 1997.
He went on: "The Home Office, like every home office around Europe and in the world, faces many challenges, but I believe that by taking the measures John has outlined it will improve the situation.
"But this will be a case of continuous improvement."
The Prime Minister also urged people to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the Act of Union, saying that the continuing union of England and Scotland remains right for Britain.
He said that in 1707 there were 30,000 Scots with relatives in England - 3% of the Scottish population - as against 2.5 million - half the Scottish population - now.
"In commerce, in trade, in security and above all in shared values, the union of England and Scotland continues to be good for England, good for Scotland and right for the future of Britain so we should celebrate today with pride," he said.
