§ Bob SpinkTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what plans he has to review the ease of access to magistrates courts for rural communities. [162877]
§ Mr. LeslieI currently have no plans to review access to magistrates courts in rural communities. Decisions regarding the location of magistrates courts whether rural or urban are made by local Magistrates' Courts Committee's (MCCs) pursuant to Section 31 of the Justices of the Peace Act 1997.
From April 2005 a single executive agency will be created to administer the magistrates courts, the Crown court and the county courts in England and Wales. The new agency can further improve the way all the courts 905W work, by allowing the different parts of the system to work together more effectively to respond to local needs, including those of rural communities.