Oral question asked in the House of Commons, by Steve Barclay (Conservative). It was answered by Jonathan Djanogly (Conservative) on Tuesday, 20 July 2010 on behalf of the Ministry of Justice.

Wisbech Magistrates Court

Question: What account he took of the availability of public transport in rural areas around Wisbech in his decision to propose the closure of Wisbech magistrates court.

Answer: In selecting courts on which to consult, one of the key principles applied was to try and ensure that people should not have to make excessively long or difficult journeys to attend court. Although it is important, proximity to a court should not be the only consideration—we need also to consider the speed with which cases are dealt with and the quality of the facilities at our courts. We also want to explore ways we can harness technology more effectively so people do not necessarily physically have to attend court when accessing court services.

Secondary information