The Ministry of Justice today outlined proposals to shut nearly a third of the courts in England and Wales and confirmed it will be looking at ways to make ‘efficiency’ savings in the legal aid budget.

A consultation document details plans for the closure of 157 of the 530 courts in England and Wales – 103 of the 330 magistrates’ courts, and 54 of 219 county courts.

The MoJ said the number and location of the courts do not reflect changes in population, workload or transport links. The closures will save £36m a year.

Courts minister Jonathan Djanogly stressed that the government will continue to support local justice but added: ‘When public finances are under pressure it is vital to eliminate waste and reduce costs. The arrangements we have are historical and now need to be re-assessed to ask whether they properly meet the needs of society as it is today…We have the opportunity to think afresh about how we can create a more modern fit-for-purpose justice system in line with the way we live our lives.’

The MoJ will also look at alternative methods of dispute resolution and ways to make greater use of technology so people do not always have to attend court.

‘Not all disputes need to be resolved in court. I want to explore whether more people can resolve their disputes in a way that leads to faster and more satisfactory solutions,’ said Djanogly.

He added: ‘Across the civil, family and criminal courts, I want to explore ways we can harness technology more effectively so people don’t necessarily have to attend court when they give evidence or access court services.’

On legal aid, justice secretary Kenneth Clarke confirmed that the government is considering its policy on legal aid to make the system more efficient.

He said: ‘This government’s immediate priority is to reduce the financial deficit and encourage economic recovery. We have made it clear that the main burden of the deficit reduction will be borne by reduced public spending, achieved by financial discipline and the most efficient and effective delivery of public services.

‘I am seeking to develop an approach to legal aid spending which balances these necessary financial constraints with the interests of justice and the wider public interest.’

Clarke said the government would seek to develop an approach that was compatible with fair access to justice, the protection of the most vulnerable, the efficient performance of the justice system, and international legal obligations.

The government will ‘seek views’ on its proposals in the autumn, though the MoJ said there will no formal consultation.

Responding to the proposed court closures, Law Society chief executive Desmond Hudson commented: ‘The government's intentions in relation to the deficit reduction mean that the Ministry of Justice will have to find significant savings. The Law Society recognises the importance of running the court service as efficiently as possible and that there should be regular reviews as to whether the physical distribution of courts should be changed and whether procedures can be made more efficient with the help of new, accessible and affordable technology. The focus of the announcement appears to be a sensible step.

'In the consultation process we hope the lord chancellor will not lose sight of the fact that courts are important features of local life and that people need to have proper access to the courts. We will play our part in the consultation by studying the proposals carefully, consulting our members and sharing our thoughts about any individual areas where acute problems emerge.’