§ 26. Mr. PaiceTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans the Department has to open new Magistrates courts in Cambridgeshire. [101895]
§ Yvette CooperThere are no plans to open any new Magistrates courts in Cambridgeshire. Cambridgeshire Magistrates Courts Committee (MCC) will continue to operate from the five Magistrates courts based at Peterborough, Cambridge, Wisbech, Huntingdon and Ely. The MCC in providing an effective and efficient service to all court users has responsibility to explore opportunities for the provision of replacement buildings if necessary.
§ Mr. HoyleTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many(a) adults and (b) juveniles were tried at Chorley Magistrates Court in each of the last three years. [100839]
§ Yvette CooperThe total number of adult and youth cases dealt with by Lancashire MCC in Chorley South Ribble and Ormskirk Magistrates Courts as whole is as follows:
Adult 2000–01 2001–02 12002–03 Indictable 2,394 1,942 1,848 Breaches 453 295 392 Summary Non Motoring 5,289 5,027 3,217 Motoring 4,316 4,261 5,278 Youth 825 719 685 1 Projected The MCC has not allocated separation figures for Chorley.
§ Mr. HoyleTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what criteria are used when determining the(a) closure and (b) retention of magistrates courts; and what the process and timescale is. [100836]
§ Yvette CooperUnder section 56(1) of Justice of the Peace Act 1997 (JPA), decisions to close or retain magistrates courts are made by locally based Magistrates Courts Committees (MCCs) after consultation with the local paying authority. The paying218W authority concerned is notified in writing of any determination to close and has the right of appeal to the Lord Chancellor within one month of the written notification, section 56(3) JPA 1997. Opportunities for representation are given to all concerned parties and the appeal is concluded when the Lord Chancellor is satisfied that this has happened and then makes his decision. His decision is final and binding on both parties. There is no pre-determined timescale.
§ Mr. DrewTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what progress is being made with those Magistrates courts that are working with computer network technologies. [101168]
§ Yvette CooperUnder the Libra Project, a common national infrastructure and Office Automation has now been delivered to over 90 per cent. of Magistrates courts staff. There are four MCCs remaining in the rollout programme and these will be completed by spring 2003. A total of 9,116 workstations have been deployed, giving access to 10,701 users.