§ Mr. SheermanTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department (1) how many magistrates courts have closed in(a) England and Wales and (b) Yorkshire or Yorkshire and Humber since 1972; [27368]
(2 how many magistrates courts have been closed in (a) England and Wales and (b) Yorkshire and Humberside in (i) the last 30 years, (ii) the last 20 years, (iii) the last 10 years and (iv) the last five years; [27472]
(3) how many magistrates courts have been closed in (a) England and Wales and (b) Yorkshire and Yorkshire and Humber between (i) 1979 and 1983, (ii) 1983 and 1987, (iii) 1987 and 1992, (iv) 1992 and 1997 and (v) 1997 and 2001. [27406]
§ Mr. WillsThe Lord Chancellor's Department assumed responsibility for the magistrates courts in 1993, and conducted the first annual survey of courthouses in September 1995. Records do not exist for earlier periods.
In England and Wales as a whole, seven magistrates courthouses closed between September 1995 and the end of 1995, 20 closed in 1996, 22 closed in 1997, 24 closed in 1998, eight closed in 1999, 13 closed in 2000, and 21 closed in 2001.
During this period, the only closure in Yorkshire and Humberside was at Keighley in April 2000. This was associated with the enlargement of Bingley courthouse in the same Petty Sessional Area.
§ Mr. SheermanTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is the average distance travelled by an accused person attending trial at a magistrates court over the last 12 months. [27372]
§ Mr. WillsThis information is not held by the Department and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. SheermanTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many(a) magistrates clerks and (b) people were employed in magistrates courts in each of the last 25 years. [27369]
§ Mr. WillsThe Lord Chancellor's Department assumed responsibility for the magistrates courts in 1993, and conducted the first annual survey of staffing in March 1994. Records do not exist centrally for earlier periods.
The information on the full-time equivalent number of justices clerks and all staff is in the table.
Justices clerks Total staff including Justices clerks 1994 214 11,022 1995 204 11,015 1996 156 10,819 1997 145 10,720 1998 1881 10,795 1999 1661 10,570 2000 1411 10,393 2001 1221 9,774 1 Includes Justices' Chief Executives appointed in a dual capacity Source:
Magistrates Courts Division Ethnic and Gender surveys.