Report Mar. 05 2025
Committee: Public Accounts CommitteeFound: Over 90% of criminal cases are dealt with in magistrates’ courts, with more serious and complex cases
Written Evidence Mar. 04 2025
Inquiry: Work of the County CourtFound: the mean time for small claims and multi/fast track claims to go to trial from issue in the county courts
Written Evidence Mar. 04 2025
Inquiry: Work of the County CourtFound: the mean time for small claims and multi/fast track claims to go to trial from issue in the county courts
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many magistrates courts closed in each year since 2010.
Answered by Heidi Alexander - Secretary of State for Transport
The table below shows the number of Magistrates’ Courts that have permanently closed in each financial year (FY) since 2010/11. The figures do not include integrations, where workload remained in the local area by transferring to a building in close proximity, or courts that are temporarily closed.
Financial Year | Magistrates' Courts closed |
2010/11 | 1 |
2011/12 | 84 |
2012/13 | 5 |
2013/14 | 4 |
2014/15 | 5 |
2015/16 | 6 |
2016/17 | 40 |
2017/18 | 12 |
2018/19 | 4 |
2019/20 | 4 |
2020/21 | 0 |
2021/22 | 0 |
2022/23 | 0 |
2023/24 | 0 |
2024/25 | 0 |
Mentions:
1: Shaun Davies (Lab - Telford) On a recent visit with the courts Minister, my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Finchley and Golders - Speech Link
2: Lucy Powell (LAB - Manchester Central) Friend in thanking all the magistrates—as he says, they are volunteers, and they are the backbone of - Speech Link
3: Lucy Powell (LAB - Manchester Central) Post office closures are a really serious matter for this House. I implore my hon. - Speech Link
Sep. 15 2008
Source Page: Framework for the provision of front office services in the civil courts: minimum standards and guidance. 42 p.Found: Framework for the Provision of Front Office Services in the Civil Courts Minimum Standards and Guidance
Nov. 19 2024
Source Page: Government response to Crime Lower consultation. Criminal Legal Aid. 48p.Found: Heidi Alexander MP Minister of State for Courts Government response to Crime Lower Consultation
Asked by: Jim McMahon (Labour (Co-op) - Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of (a) closures of magistrates courts and (b) trends in the recruitment of magistrates on case capacity in Greater Manchester.
Answered by Mike Freer
The decision to close any court only happens following full public consultation, and only when effective access to justice can be maintained. Courts that have closed were either underused, dilapidated or too close to another existing HMCTS location in the same local area.
In recent years there has been considerable recruitment of magistrates in Greater Manchester, both for the Adult Court and the Family Court, and current magistrate numbers are sufficient to manage the volume of work in Greater Manchester.
Found: Cases generally go to magistrates’ courts first, where over 90% of criminal cases are dealt with.
Sep. 03 2024
Source Page: Standard Crime Contract 2022Found: Solicitors must serve on the Police Station and Magistrates’ court schemes for which the Provider is