SCOTLAND'S three main opposition party leaders have called on Holyrood's justice committee to reject a series of planned court closures ahead of a crunch vote today.
The cross-party committee is due to decide whether 10 sheriff courts and seven district courts should be closed to save money. In a last-ditch plea to save the courts, the leaders of Scottish Labour, the Conservatives and LibDems have written to members, urging them to preserve "proper access to justice".
If the nine-strong committee rejects the plan, it will go to a debate and vote by the full parliament, when a number of SNP MSPs would come under pressure to defy the Government.
In their letter, Johann Lamont, Ruth Davidson and Willie Rennie argued the plans would inconvenience victims and witnesses and damage local economies.
They added: "Not only do these plans greatly limit access to justice they also threaten to increase costs. "
Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill and Scotland's most senior judge, Lord Gill, the Lord President, defended the plans last week as protestors demonstrated outside parliament.
A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: "We believe these changes are compatible with our wider justice reforms, and the Scottish Court Service estimates it can save £1 million a year in running costs and £3m in maintenance costs, which can be better spent on facilities at a smaller number of courts. "
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