§ Mr. Freudasked the Attorney-General why he closed the Crown Court at Wisbech; and if he will make a statement.
§ The Attorney-GeneralThe Royal Commission on Assizes and Quarter Sessions did not recommend that the Crown Court should sit at Wisbech, nor has my noble Friend ever formally determined under Section 4(6) of the Courts Act 1971 that it should do so. Magistrates in petty sessional areas in and adjoining Wisbech commit cases to the Crown Court at Cambridge. Since January 1972, however, the shortage of court accommodation at Cambridge has been such that some of the work from there has had to be dealt with in the magistrates' court accommodation at Wisbech. This has caused such incon-156W venience to the magistrates that the Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely County Council asked the Circuit Administrator to find alternative premises elsewhere and he has now found suitable accommodation in Cambridge. It will therefore no longer be necessary to use the accommodation at Wisbech which will be given up as from 18th June 1976.
§ Mr. Freudasked the Attorney-General what were the total number of cases heard at the Crown Court, Wisbech, in each of the last 10 years.
§ The Attorney-GeneralThe Crown Court was brought into being on 1st January 1972 by the Courts Act 1971. The total numbers of cases heard by the Crown Court at Cambridge sitting at Wisbech in each of the years 1972, 1973, 1974 and 1975 were as follows:
Trials (including guilty pleas) Committals for sentence Appeals Total 1972 76 14 6 96 1973 65 17 9 91 1974 66 32 22 120 1975 69 19 9 97
§ Mr. Freudasked the Attorney-General what consultations he had with local authorities prior to his decision to close the Crown Court at Wisbech.
§ The Attorney-GeneralThe decision to discontinue sittings at Wisbech of the Cambridge Crown Court was taken by the Circuit Administrator for the South Eastern Circuit after he had been asked by the Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely County Council to arrange for the sittings to be held elsewhere.
§ Mr. Freudasked the Attorney-General if he is satisfied that sufficient notice was given to the interested parties prior to his decision to close the Crown Court at Wisbech.
§ The Attorney-GeneralYes. On 27th April 1976 notice that sittings of the Cambridge Crown Court would be discontinued at Wisbech as from 18th June 1976 was given by the chief clerk of the Crown Court at Cambridge to parties likely to be interested.
§ Mr. Freudasked the Attorney-General what consultations he had with local solicitors and barristers prior to his 157W decision to close the Crown Court at Wisbech.
§ The Attorney-GeneralNone. As I have made clear in answers to the preceding Questions, the only sittings held at Wisbech were sittings of the Cambridge Crown Court and the need to hold such sittings there has been obviated. Cambridge is the designated Crown Court centre and the Circuit Administrator did not consider that his decision to hold the sittings there was a matter on which it was necessary for him to consult solicitors and barristers.
§ Mr. Freudasked the Attorney-General what consultations he had with the police prior to his decision to close the Crown Court at Wisbech.
§ The Attorney-GeneralNone. For reasons made clear in the answers to preceding Questions it was not considered necessary to consult the police on the decision to transfer sittings of the Cambridge Crown Court from Wisbech to Cambridge.
§ Mr. Freudasked the Attorney-General what representations he has received regarding his decision to close the Crown Court at Wisbech.
§ The Attorney-GeneralRepresentations regarding the decision to discontinue sittings at the Cambridge Crown Court at Wisbech were received by the Circuit Administrator for the South Eastern Circuit from the Secretary to the Wisbech Chamber of Trade, the District Secretary to the Fenland District Council and Messrs. Dawbarns, solicitors of Wisbech. The Circuit Administrator has replied personally to these representations.