Dave Thompson MSP

Dave Thompson, SNP MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, spoke in the Scottish Parliaments Access to Justice Debate to make the case for Dingwall Court being kept open.

The proposal from the Scottish Courts service calls for Dingwall Sherriff Court to close and for its business to move to Inverness, but Dave would rather see a new justice centre in Dingwall to handle business for both Dingwall and Inverness.

Dave said: “I accept the need for rationalisation, but I want to turn that into an opportunity. I have already argued for this, but I want a new justice centre in Dingwall to replace both Dingwall and Inverness courts. I believe that that would provide an ideal solution and would free up the iconic Inverness castle to be fully utilised as a tourist attraction.

“I invite all Highland MSPs to back me in this.

The new justice centre could also serve as a secondary venue on the High Court circuit. Inverness is currently a venue, and 69 High Court cases have been called since 2008, but the Scottish Courts Proposal recommends limiting High Court sessions to Aberdeen Edinburgh and Glasgow, with Greenock, Paisley, Dumbarton, Livingston and Dunfermline acting as secondary venues. Dave wants to ensure that at least one court in the Highlands and Islands remains a possible venue for the High Court.

Dave added: “The SCS proposals on the High Court appear to have been made solely on the basis of distribution of population and do not take into account geography and topography, or the poorer transport infrastructure in the Highlands and Islands. The Highlands make up a large proportion of the landmass of Scotland, so it is important that people there have easy access to the highest court in the land.

Note:

A copy of Dave’s speech from the official report is below.

Dave Thompson (Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch) (SNP): The proposals from the SCS will have a significant impact on many of my constituents—particularly the proposals relating to Dingwall, Portree and Inverness. I want to touch on three issues: justice of the peace courts, sheriff courts and the High Court circuit.

First, the proposed changes to the justice of the peace courts seem to be sensible because it is important that we deliver public services at the very best value. Secondly, it is proposed that Dingwall sheriff court should close, with its business being transferred to Inverness. I accept the need for rationalisation, but I want to turn that into an opportunity. I have already argued for this, but I want a new justice centre in Dingwall to replace both Dingwall and Inverness courts. I believe that that would provide an ideal solution and would free up the iconic Inverness castle to be fully utilised as a tourist attraction.

We can create opportunities out of the current situation: it is about how we look at them and deal with them. I would therefore accept the closure of Dingwall sheriff court in the short term if, in the medium term—by that, I mean within the next few years—we can get a purpose-built state-of-the-art justice centre in Dingwall to service the whole inner Moray Firth area. I invite all Highland MSPs to back me in this.

Willie Rennie (Mid Scotland and Fife) (LD): How many years is a few years? How long would people have to wait for that justice centre?

Dave Thompson: Obviously, we have to make the arguments. If we were to do that, we could in a relatively short time create a brand new state-of-the-art justice centre in Dingwall that will be a huge asset to the whole inner Moray Firth area. We have to look at the situation that we are in now in terms of the austerity programme that Willie Rennie’s Government is pushing from London, and we have to make the best of things, so let us look at the situation positively and stop all the negativity that we constantly get from Opposition members.

The advantages of using Dingwall for a justice centre will be that its land and building costs are cheaper, the economic benefits to the local area will be greater and it is no more difficult to get there than it is to get to Inverness. In making changes, we should look to fully utilise technology to reduce the costs and inconvenience of travel. The recent announcement of a major investment of £146 million to create a state-of-the-art fibre optic communications network throughout the Highlands and Islands means that videoconferencing will be a realistic prospect for Highland communities and the court system, as was mentioned by the cabinet secretary.

I want to raise a bigger point about the decision to rule out any future High Court sittings in the Highlands. The SCS has suggested that the High Court should be able to sit outside the three cities of Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow, but only at Greenock, Paisley, Dumbarton, Livingston and Dunfermline. I believe that in order to ensure a better geographic spread of locations across Scotland, Inverness should be added to the High Court designated list, with the new justice centre in Dingwall taking over in due course.

Alex Fergusson: If we are to have a justice centre in every SNP constituency that is affected by the closures—as appears to be the policy that is coming out of the debate—what will be the cost and the impact on the apparent savings that are to be made?

Dave Thompson: Alex Fergusson is not listening to what I am saying. We have to turn a difficult situation into something positive. We have to direct our capital spend, such as it is, towards those things. I am arguing for the best deal for my constituents in the widest possible sense, and I am looking for a good solution for the inner Moray Firth area in the Highlands.

The SCS proposals on the High Court appear to have been made solely on the basis of distribution of population and do not take into account geography and topography, or the poorer transport infrastructure in the Highlands and Islands. The Highlands make up a large proportion of the landmass of Scotland, so it is important that people there have easy access to the highest court in the land. We are all citizens of Scotland and we all deserve equal treatment. It is also important to protect the status of the Highlands. We should therefore not accept the conclusion of what is, in essence, a numbers game.

We are investing in Highlands and Islands Enterprise to develop the economy in the north, and in the University of the Highlands and Islands to give our young people a better chance. We are investing £146 million in fibre optic broadband in the Highlands to enable highlanders to engage in the digital economy. It is therefore right that we send out the right messages in other spheres. That will require that the High Court sit in the Highlands when necessary. I will therefore write to the Lord President—who will make the decision; it is not a Government decision—to make the case for the special circumstances of the Highlands to be taken into account in relation to the High Court. I hope that the Justice Committee will take that issue, and the other issues that I have raised, fully into account when it considers the matter.