HC Deb 06 July 1998 vol 315 cc377-9W
Mr. Todd

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will place a copy in the Library of the business case of the Derbyshire Magistrates Courts Committee for reorganising the county's magistrates courts. [48130]

Mr. Hoon

The Outline Business Case, which has been prepared as a basis for inviting bids, contains information which is commercially confidential and is not being made public at this stage. Disclosure of specific details to bidders may affect the pricing of bids and the value for money which may be obtained. A full business case will be prepared, once negotiations with a preferred bidder have been concluded, as the basis for entering into a contract.

Mr. Todd

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what assumptions have been made on the disposal value of Swadlincote Magistrates Court and on the period it may be vacant and unsold. [48080]

Mr. Hoon

A value based on alternative use has been included in the Outline Business Case for the PFI project for Derbyshire magistrates courts. Financial details have not been published as this information is commercially confidential and disclosure may affect the pricing of the bids received and the value for money which may be obtained. Bidders are to be invited to make proposals for disposal of surplus courts where this improves value for money, in which case the risks of disposal would be transferred.

Mr. Todd

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many licence applications and of what type were dealt with in Swadlincote Magistrates Court in(a) 1995–96 and (b) 1996–97. [48128]

Mr. Hoon

The Lord Chancellor's Department does not collect or hold information on the number and type of licence applications heard at magistrates courthouse level. The Justices' Chief Executive for the Derbyshire Magistrates Courts Committee has informed me that the number of licence applications for the Derby and South Derbyshire petty sessional division area, which includes the Swadlincote Court, were 2,319 in 1995–96 and 2,365 in 1996–97. These figures cannot be broken down by type.

Mr. Todd

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is the estimated cost of the investigation and preparation of the Private Finance Initiative for projects connected with Derbyshire magistrates courts. [48076]

Mr. Hoon

The estimated cost of advisers in the investigation and preparation of the Private Finance Initiative project involving Derbyshire magistrates courts is £490,000.

Mr. Todd

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is the estimated additional revenue cost of providing and resourcing 11 as against nine courts in Derby in the proposed reorganisation of the county's magistrates courts. [48078]

Mr. Hoon

The outline business case, which has been prepared by the Derbyshire Magistrates Courts Committee as a basis for inviting bids, includes costed options for providing either eleven or nine courtrooms in Derby. This information is commercially confidential and is not being made public at this stage. Disclosure of this detail to bidders may affect the pricing of bids and the value for money which may be obtained.

Mr. Todd

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what was the operating cost of Swadlincote Magistrates Court in(a) 1995–96 and (b) 1996–97. [48079]

Mr. Hoon

The Lord Chancellor's Department does not collect or hold financial information at magistrates courthouse level. The Justices' Chief Executive for the Derbyshire Magistrates Courts Committee has informed me that it is not possible to identify separately the operating costs of the Swadlincote courthouse from the overall cost of the Derby and South Derbyshire petty sessional division of which it is a part.

Mr. Todd

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what arrangements would be made to accommodate the local Probation Service and to provide its services in South Derbyshire, and at what cost should the proposed closure of Swadlincote Magistrates Court proceed. [48129]

Mr. Hoon

The Home Office has responsibility for the Probation Service. Each individual Probation Committee is responsible for providing suitable accommodation to perform its functions and for decisions on their location.

Derbyshire Magistrates Courts Committee has a statutory responsibility to provide an efficient and effective service for court users. It is for that Committee to decide the number and location of the courthouses it needs. On 18 May 1998, Derbyshire Magistrates Courts Committee determined that its future needs should be met with courthouses centred at four locations. To effect this, the Committee intends to retain one courthouse but provide three new premises as replacements for eleven of the existing magistrates courts, through the Private Finance Initiative scheme. Final timings for both the closures and the opening of new courts will be determined once the Private Finance Initiative project plan has been agreed. Current expectations are for the year 2000.

Derbyshire County Council has exercised its right of appeal to the Lord Chancellor in accordance with section 56 of the Justices of the Peace Act 1997. The closure of Swadlincote Magistrates Court is one aspect of the County Council's appeal, which is being heard now by consent of the two parties to aid the overall project.

It is, therefore, inappropriate for me to comment at this stage on the closure of Swadlincote Magistrates Court.