Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Ministry of Justice

Oral Answers to Questions

Alun Cairns Excerpts
Tuesday 8th November 2011

(12 years, 6 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Jonathan Djanogly Portrait Mr Djanogly
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This is relevant to a number of Departments. We are working with them to ensure that the procedures are such that better determinations are made at the outset so that we get fewer appeals. This is taking up a significant amount of my time. The hon. Lady makes an important point.

Alun Cairns Portrait Alun Cairns (Vale of Glamorgan) (Con)
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When a magistrates court is forced to close, does my hon. Friend agree that every effort and flexibility needs to be shown to accommodate those magistrates in alternative courts?

Jonathan Djanogly Portrait Mr Djanogly
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Yes, and they are. So far as I know, no magistrates have been forced to resign because of any court closure. They are normally encouraged to join the successor court, although some take the opportunity to resign at that point for their own reasons.