§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if she will make a statement on access to justice in Buckinghamshire. [136476]
§ Jane KennedyThe Lord Chancellor's aim is to provide a fair, swift and effective system of justice.
There are six magistrates courts, two county courts, and one Crown court in Buckinghamshire. Courts in Buckinghamshire are being modernised in order to be fit for the 21st Century. For example, one of the aims of the Crown court programme is to improve efficiency and enhance the facilities at all Crown court centres, irrespective of size, location or current accommodation limitations.
The Community Legal Service (CLS) will improve access to good quality legal advice, through local networks of legal services based on legal needs. There are now 67 firms of solicitors and advice agencies in Buckinghamshire in the latest edition of the CLS Directory, which means they either have the CLS Quality Mark already or are likely to apply for the Quality Mark in the near future. They will provide the local CLS 203W network in Buckinghamshire. The Legal Services Commission (LSC) is also looking to set up CLS Partnerships covering Buckinghamshire, which will co-ordinate the funding and provision of local services. There is a CLS Partnership in Chiltern, and the LSC are looking to form partnerships with the other districts in Buckinghamshire.