I’m well aware of the Member’s interests in this area. Neath magistrates’ court closed in May 2014, with work transferred to Swansea. The Neath and Port Talbot civil and family court closed in July 2016, with business transferred to the Port Talbot justice centre. In addition, in mid and west Wales, courts have recently closed in Carmarthen Guildhall, Brecon law courts and Bridgend law courts and, of course, the impact in rural areas is particularly significant, significantly increasing journey times to court.

Court closures, of course, are only part of a wider Ministry of Justice programme of cuts, including reduced access to legal aid, raising revenue, including increased court fees. Taken together, these changes are having a significant impact on access to justice for vulnerable people and communities. It’s worth saying that, overall, there has been a substantial number of reductions in the number of courts in England and Wales since 2010. Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service closed 146 courts between 2010 and 2015. An additional 86 courts in England and Wales are now being closed. Of the 42 court and tribunal buildings remaining in Wales, after previous closure programmes, nine have already been closed under the current programme, and a further court, in Llangefni, is due to be closed.

So, we have made representations. We continue to make those representations. Unfortunately, those representations appear to fall on deaf ears. This isn’t an area that is, of course, devolved. If it were devolved, I think the Welsh Labour Government would be going in a very different direction.