To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what (a) financial savings have been made and (b) job reductions have taken place as a result of the closure of the (i) magistrates' court and (ii) county court in Bishop Auckland constituency.

As of 30 June 2013 the closure of Bishop Auckland county and magistrates courts has secured resource savings of £177,000. The property is currently on the market for disposal.

Both courts closed under the Court Estate Reform Programme announced to Parliament in December 2010. To date, the programme has closed 137 courts in England and Wales, resulting in total net benefits of £35.8 million (made up of £19.3 million resource benefits and £16.5 million capital benefits).

Although staff reductions are not available on individual courts the programme has delivered full-time equivalent staff reductions of 214.19.