§ Mr. Alex CarlileTo ask the Attorney-General if he has any proposals for additional combined Crown and county court centres on the Wales and Chester circuit; and if he will make a statement.
§ The Attorney-GeneralIt is the Lord Chancellor's policy to create combined court centres wherever it is possible to do so. There are at present two combined court centres on the Wales and Chester circuit, at Merthyr Tydfil and Warrington. The creation of an additional combined court centre at Caernarfon is under consideration.
§ Mr. Alex CarlileTo ask the Attorney-General if lie will give details of current proposals to improve and construct Crown and county court accommodation on the Wales and Chester circuit; and if he will make a statement.
§ The Attorney-GeneralThere is an annual programme of planned building maintenance covering all Crown and county court buildings on the Wales and Chester circuit, which comprise 52 properties including 11 listed buildings. In addition, the circuit uses 27 courtrooms hired when needed from local authorities.
Funds have been made available in 1991–92 for major building improvements to the law courts at Cathays park, Cardiff, and maintenance improvements to the Guildhall in Swansea.
The current court building programme comprises:
Schemes currently in construction
- Crown court at Chester
- Crown court at Newport (Gwent)
- Warrington combined court centre
Schemes at the planning or design stage
- Cardiff county court
- Crown court at Cardiff (adaptation)
- Neath and Port Talbot county court
- Pontypool county court
- Pontypridd county court
§ Mr. Alex CarlileTo ask the Attorney-General if he has any proposals to improve the co-ordination of courts listing centres and Crown court centres and combined centres on the Wales and Chester circuit; and if he will make a statement.
§ The Attorney-GeneralThe courts have already taken steps to improve listing for both civil and criminal work on all circuits. Greater co-ordination has already been achieved with the emergence of more combined courts and county court trial centres. The practice of allowing listing officers to develop an expertise by remaining sufficiently long in post should ensure that the improvements continue. All listing arrangements are kept under regular review.