§ Mr. John EvansTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received about the reorganisation of magistrates courts in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. John PattenWe have received many comments from interested bodies and individuals on the report of the magistrates courts scrutiny, and have been giving them careful consideration.
§ Mr. SheermanTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes he proposes to make to the formula for cash limiting the magistrates courts system to meet the needs of rural areas.
§ Mr. John PattenWe shall give careful thought to the representations about the needs of rural areas made in the course of consultations on the proposed formula for the allocation of current grant before reaching final decisions.
§ Mr. SheermanTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has on the reasons for the closure of Darwen magistrates court.
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§ Mr. John PattenI understand that no decision has yet been taken by the Lancashire magistrates courts committee that this courthouse should be closed.
§ Mr. SheermanTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many rural magistrates courts he estimates will close in England and Wales in 1991 and 1992.
§ Mr. John PattenWe have made no such estimate, since decisions on the maintenance of courthouses are in the first place matters for the responsible magistrates courts committees in consultation with their paying authorities. Cash limits on current grant will reinforce the need for committees to consider the number and location of courthouses as part of their general responsibility for providing an effective and efficient service, having regard to the needs of court users as well as to affordability; but the effect on individual committees will depend on the total grant available to support magistrates courts expenditure and on the arrangements for its allocation by area, on which final decisions have not yet been made.
§ Mr. SheermanTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received with regard to the closure of magistrates courts in Dyfed; and what action he proposes to take.
§ Mr. John PattenWe have as yet received no representations in relation to the decision by the Dyfed magistrates courts committee on 18 July to close 11 courthouses. If there is an appeal by the paying authority under the Justices of the Peace Act 1979 against this decision we shall of course consider it on its merits.