Magistrates Courts (Hansard, 19 March 2002)

§ 39. Mr. Luff
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on the future of Evesham magistrates court. [41554]

§ Mr. Wills
The hon. Member will be aware that decisions concerning the future of magistrates courts in the West Mercia area are for the West Mercia Magistrates' Courts Committee to determine, in consultation with the local paying authority.

§ Mr. Edward Davey
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what measures his Department uses to assess the work load in different magistrates' courts in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement. [43775]

§ Mr. Wills
Work load, in the form of completed cases, performed in the magistrates courts is collected by each of the 42 Magistrates Courts Committees (MCCs) and collated centrally. Each MCC provides the numbers of completed proceedings in one of 14 case types (as detailed180W in the attached list) and agreed weightings are applied to each case type to provide an overall unitary value of case load.
Case types:

Indictable/triable either way

Breaches

Summary non-motoring

Summary motoring

Youth (all categories)

Section 8 orders

Emergency Protection Orders

Care proceedings

All other family

Licensing sessions

Licensing petty

Other applications

Means inquiries

Right to Representation (formerly Legal aid).

§ Miss McIntosh
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what recent representations he has received on the closure of magistrates courts in North Yorkshire. [43844]

§ Mr. Wills
The Lord Chancellor's Department has received six representations on the closure of magistrates courts in North Yorkshire. It is the Government's policy that decisions concerning the number, location and future of magistrates courts are for each magistrates courts committee to determine, in consultation with its local paying authority or authorities.