Rural Magistrates Courts (Hansard, 9 November 1999)

HC Deb 09 November 1999 vol 337 cc501-2W 501W

§ 38. Mr. Paterson
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on his policy on rural magistrates courts. [96387]

§ 39. Mr. Luff
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on his policy towards magistrates courts in rural England. [96388]

§ Jane Kennedy
The Government's policy is that magistrates courts are best managed locally by magistrates courts committees under the provisions of the Justices of the Peace Act 1997. Decisions concerning the future of502W magistrates courts in their area, whether rural or urban, are for the relevant magistrates courts committee to determine.