Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many courts buildings closed have subsequently been sold since 2010.

Since 2010, HMCTS have sold a total of 164 court buildings. This figure includes the sale of freehold court buildings; it does not include court buildings that were occupied under leasehold arrangements.

Since 2015, sale proceeds totalling £211m have been reinvested in the HMCTS Reform programme, to transform the justice system, including introducing 21st century technology and online services to increase access to justice and improve efficiency.

The decision to close any court is not taken lightly. It 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 that remains open.