§ Mr. BurnsTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on the future of the county court in Chelmsford. [4897]
§ Mr. HoonThe question concerns a matter which has been assigned to the Court Service under the terms of its framework document. I have therefore asked the Chief Executive to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from M. D. Huebner to Mr. Simon Burns, dated 24 June 1997:
The Parliamentary Secretary of the Lord Chancellor's Department has asked me to reply to your Question about the future of Chelmsford County Court.I can confirm that there are no plans to move or close Chelmsford County Court.
§ Mr. BurnsTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on plans to reorganise the(a) county courts and (b) magistrates' courts in Essex, with special reference to the Chelmsford area. [4894]
§ Mr. HoonThe Lord Chancellor is currently considering a proposal to close the Braintree and Bishop Stortford County Courts. If these courts are closed, some work previously dealt with at the Braintree court might be dealt with in Chelmsford.
Responsibility for the civil and higher criminal courts network falls to the Court Service which must constantly monitor and review the viability of its resources in the light of changing business needs and workload trends. Decisions on any proposals for change will be made by the Lord Chancellor taking account of all the relevant factors.
Turning to the question of magistrates' courts in Essex, there are no current plans for closures in the area. Essex Magistrates' Courts Committee has, however, issued a consultation paper setting out a number of options for the reorganisation of petty sessional divisions in the County. The consultation period closes on 30 June. One of these 478W options is that the current Chelmsford and Maldon and Witham PSDs should be amalgamated, together with some or all of the Braintree and Halstead and Brentwood PSDs, into a single PSD.
The MCC has indicated that this new PSD could be served by one courthouse to be centred at Chelmsford or possibly at Witham.
Decisions concerning the future and number of magistrates' courts in their area are for the relevant MCC to determine. A local authority that contributes financially may appeal to the Lord Chancellor against a proposed closure. The procedure for such appeals is set out in section 56 of the Justices of the Peace Act 1997. In the absence of an appeal, however, the Lord Chancellor plays no part in the process.
§ Mr. BurnsTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what proposals he has to move the(a) county court and (b) magistrates' court from Chelmsford to elsewhere in Essex, indicating the place; and if he will make a statement. [4895]
§ Mr. HoonI have no proposals to move either the county court or the magistrates' court from Chelmsford.
Responsibility for the civil and higher criminal courts network falls to the Court Service which must constantly monitor and review the viability of its resources in the light of changing business needs and workload trends. Decisions on any proposals for change will be made by the Lord Chancellor taking account of all the relevant factors.
Decisions concerning the future and number of magistrates' courts in its area are for the relevant MCC to determine. A local authority that contributes financially may appeal to the lord chancellor against a proposed closure. The procedure for such appeals is set out in section 56 of the Justices of the Peace Act 1997. In the absence of an appeal, however, the Lord Chancellor plays no part in the process.
§ Mr. BurnsTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on the future of the magistrates' court in Chelmsford. [4896]
§ Mr. HoonI have no proposals to move either the county court or the magistrates' court from Chelmsford. Decisions concerning the future and number of magistrates' court in its area are for the relevant MCC to determine. A local authority that contributes financially may appeal to the Lord Chancellor against a proposed closure. The procedure for such appeals is set out in section 56 of the Justices of the Peace Act 1997. In the absence of an appeal, however, the Lord Chancellor plays no part in the process.