Courts Service Estate Debate

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Department: Ministry of Justice

Courts Service Estate

David Nuttall Excerpts
Tuesday 14th December 2010

(13 years, 11 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Jonathan Djanogly Portrait Mr Djanogly
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The court will remain open because of concerns raised about the capacity of the receiving court at Northampton in light of the decision to close Daventry and Towcester magistrates courts.

David Nuttall Portrait Mr David Nuttall (Bury North) (Con)
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I, too, remind the House of my former profession as a solicitor. I warmly welcome the Minister’s statement, particularly the welcome news that Bury county court will remain open. Will he confirm that that is not a temporary reprieve but a permanent decision? Also, I am slightly concerned that the decision to close Rochdale magistrates court will require a great deal of extra capacity at Bury magistrates court, especially as Rochdale already takes in the Heywood and Middleton benches. Has he taken that into account?

Jonathan Djanogly Portrait Mr Djanogly
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Yes, we have: we will be doing about £170,000-worth of work to accommodate the work from Rochdale magistrates court.