ANNEX
C (see Q 121)
Letter to Bob Russell MP from the Lord
Chancellor
REDUCTION OF MAGISTRATES' COURTS
I promised to write to you following last week's
Home Affairs Select Committee in response to your general questions
on court closures. You are to write to me if you wish to follow
up specific questions in relation to court closures in Essex.
As you know from the many questions you have
tabled on the subject, decisions are for local MCCs. Section 56
of the Justices of the Peace Act 1997 limits my role to that of
the appellate authority on the closure of magistrates' courts.
In answer to PQs my Minister of State, Geoff Hoon MP has indicated
the matters we take into account when exercising the appellate
role. I attach a copy of one such response.[6]
This government is committed to the better distribution
and use of the public resources that are allocated to magistrates'
courts committees as an integral part of the processes for delivering
justice. We are looking to provide a modern system of justice
with well equipped and secure courtrooms, to reduce delay in the
time taken for cases to proceed through those courts and so honour
our manifesto commitment. We must take account of necessary renovations
to bring the courthouses in question up to a modern standard.
Large numbers of small courts, with inadequate facilities and
limited potential to reallocate work to speed throughput, is hardly
efficient and forward looking. MCCs, no less than anyone else
have to contribute to efficiency.
I enclose a copy, for your information, of the
Good Practice Guide on Courthouse Closure[7]
published by the Central Council of Magistrates' Courts Committees.
This guide is freely available.
18 November 1998
6 Not printed. See Official Report, 15 June 1998,
WA col. 9. Back
7
Not printed. Back
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