HC Deb 19 May 1998 vol 312 c340W
Mr. David Heath

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on his proposals for the future arrangements for magistrates court committees in larger police authority areas. [41291]

Mr. Hoon

In my statement to the House on 29 October 1997,Official Report, columns 901–05, I set out the Government's view of the future structure of the magistrates courts service. I stated that there need to be fewer and larger magistrates courts committee (MCC) areas which are more closely aligned to the areas served by other justice agencies, in particular those of the police. The Lord Chancellor has recently signed the orders which will amalgamate the five MCCs in Merseyside and the seven MCCs in the West Midlands. A number of other MCCs are developing their own proposals, whilst the remainder are considering the way forward.