THE fight to save Selby Magistrates’ Court has reached the House of Commons, where MPs and the Government discussed its future in a special debate.

Selby and Ainsty MP Nigel Adams called for the courthouse to stay open because of its specialist facilities for the disabled, vulnerable witnesses and those involved in domestic abuse cases, and the travel problems its closure would cause local residents.

He told Courts Minister Jonathan Djanogly that if Selby cases were heard in York, the Government would have to install an extra secure dock at the city’s magistrates’ court, plus £170,000 on installing facilities for the disabled.

And he spoke of difficulties people living in the Selby area, especially in villages south of the town, would have if they had to travel to York to receive. Challenging claims that it was underused, he said its usage was twice that of other courts elsewhere in the country.

“I believe there is a strong case for retaining Selby Magistrates’ Court, especially in light of the recent £821,000 refurbishment recently undertaken and the other specialities that I have mentioned,” he said.

“I would find it difficult to justify the closure of a service that has recently cost the taxpayer almost £1 million and the selling off of the whole building would not realise anywhere near that sum.”

Selby and Goole Magistrates’ Courts are among 103 under threat of closure as part of the Government spending cuts.

Goole’s MP, Andrew Percy, fought for its courthouse to stay open in the same debate in Westminster Hall, the House of Commons’ second debating chamber.

Mr Djanogly accepted the travel difficulties were an important point, but stressed the need for the Government to make savings and to look at ways of making justice more modern, including more use of telephones and the internet.