Daniel Zeichner, MP for Cambridge, this week found out that there have been no ministerial visits this year to any of the eight courts which the Ministry of Justice have proposed to close.

He submitted a written parliamentary question:  “To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, which courts in the UK have been visited by Ministers of his Department since the beginning of the 2018”.

Lucy Frazer answered the question:

The list of Ministers and which courts they have visited is given in the table below. Lord Keen has not visited any courts.

The courts that could be closed are: Cambridge, Maidenhead, Banbury, Northallerton, Fleetwood, Chorley, Wandsworth and Blackfriars.

Mr Zeichner comments: “It is very telling that not one minister has visited any of the courts which they are proposing to close, including Cambridge. It’s outrageous, and shows a complete lack of respect for the communities which will be affected by these plans. I have personally invited Ministers, on a number of occasions. What are they so frightened of -; that they may hear the truth about the impact?”

The Ministry of Justice’s proposals suggest moving cases from Cambridge to courts in Huntingdon and Peterborough, which could mean up to a three-hour round trip, along with added travel expenses, for Cambridge residents using the courts.