§ Mr. GroganTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs when the outstanding decision on the appeal of North Yorkshire County Council against the closure of three magistrates' courts in North Yorkshire will be announced. [132405]
§ Mr. LeslieHaving received representations from North Yorkshire County Council and the North Yorkshire Magistrates' Courts Committee, I have decided that the County Council's appeal should be dismissed and the Magistrates' Courts Committee's decision to close the Courts at Richmond, Picketing and Whitby should be upheld. However, I understand that the Magistrates' Courts Committee have indicated their424W intention that these courthouses should not close until the courthouses to which the work will be transferred haven been replaced or refurbished.