§ Mr. BurnettTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on the number of court closures in England and Wales in the past three years. [108860]
§ Jane KennedyMagistrates courts are locally managed by magistrates courts committees under the provisions of the Justices of the Peace Act 1997. Decisions concerning the future of magistrates courts are for the relevant magistrates courts committee to determine.
My Department surveys the number of courthouses and courtrooms in April each year. The number of closures as reported by MCC's is as follows:
1997 1998 1999 Courtroom closures 48 46 14 Courthouse closures 22 22 8