Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many courts were closed in each year since 2010.

This government is investing over £1billion to reform and modernise the justice system – making it more convenient, easier to use, and providing better value for the taxpayer.

As we increase the use of digital services, it makes sense to consider the wider role and need for Court buildings and assess whether some are still necessary to provide effective access to justice. Where physical courts are to close, every penny raised will be put back into funding changes which will make justice easier to access for all at the same time as offering protections for the most vulnerable.

Since 2010, the following number of courts have closed in each financial year as detailed below:

2010/11: 1

2011/12: 129

2012/13: 7

2013/14: 5

2014/15: 7

2015/16: 20

2016/17: 64

2017/18: 25