Cost-cutting plans to close sheriff courts met by anger from opposition MSPS
OPPOSITION MSPs have mounted a challenge to plans to close courts across Scotland as Labour accused Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill of “ignoring” local communities.
Labour’s spokesman Lewis Macdonald hit out at the Scottish Government after Parliamentary Orders to close 10 sheriff courts and seven justice of the peace courts were tabled at Holyrood.
The Labour justice spokesman said he was putting forward motions to annul the orders, backed by Liberal Democrat justice spokeswoman Alison McInnes.
The Scottish Court Serv- ice has recommended the closures, which could save £4 million a year in running and maintenance costs.
Earmarked for closure are sheriff courts in Dornoch, Duns, Ki r k c u d b r i g h t , Peebles, Rothesay, Cupar, D i n g wa l l , Arbroath, Haddington and Stonehaven, with their business transferred to nearby locations.
Justice of the peace courts in Annan, Irvine, Motherwell, Cumbernauld, Portree, Stornoway and Wick also face being closed down.
The Parliamentary Orders will be considered by MSPs on the Scottish Parliament’s Justice Committee.
The court closures could then be voted on by all MSPs at Holyrood, if the motion to annul the orders is backed by the committee – which has four SNP MSPs on it along- side four opposition MSPs and one independent.
Mr Macdonald said: “Kenny MacAskill is ignoring the views of local communities on court closures and the arguments made against those closures by MSPs of all parties last month.
“These closures can still be stopped. I am tabling motions to annul the Parliamentary Orders today, with support from other parties.
“If MSPs on the Justice Committee annul the Orders, Government ministers will be forced to justify their court closure proposals in the Scottish Parliament itself.”