Rachel has issued the following response to constituents who have contacted her about court closures.
Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) operates 460 courts and tribunals across England and Wales. The estate costs taxpayers around half a billion pounds each year, and at present, it is underused. In 2015, 48 per cent of all 460 courts and tribunals were empty for at least half their available hearing time. These buildings are expensive to maintain yet unsuitable for modern technology.
Having considered carefully all responses to a consultation, the Government has decided to close 86 of the 91 courts and tribunals under consideration for closure. Sixty-four sites will close as proposed in the consultation. A further 22 closures will take place but with changes to the original proposals. These changes, many suggested by respondents, include the identification of suitable alternative venues, such as local civic buildings; or different venues in the HMCTS estate to those originally proposed. You can read the Government’s full response here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/proposal-on-the-provision-of-court-and-tribunal-estate-in-england-and-wales
I appreciate your feelings on this issue, but I understand that even after these changes, over 97 per cent of citizens will be able to reach their required court within an hour by car. I hope you can appreciate that the courts and tribunal service is being reformed so that it meets the needs of modern day users.
Date published: 15 February 2018.
As with all items in the FAQ Library, answers are subject to modification as events and circumstances change and evolve. If you would like an answer that is more specific to your circumstances, or to seek and up-to-date response, please email rachel.maclean.mp@parliament.uk.
