Courts Act 1971

5 (1) Where the Secretary of State acquires from a local authority, whether compulsorily or by agreement, any premises which, up to the appointed day, were being used exclusively for business of the abolished courts, the appropriate Minister shall pay to the authority—

(a) a sum equal to any loan charge paid by the local authority in respect of the premises, being a loan charge falling due in the period from the beginning of April 1970 to the relevant date, together with

(b) the principal sum outstanding at the relevant date,

but adjusting the payment so as to prevent any amount being paid to the local authority both under this paragraph and under the last preceding paragraph.

In this sub-paragraph " the relevant date" means the date of acquisition or such other date as may be agreed by the appropriate Minister and the local authority.

(2) If the premises were not exclusively so used, the appropriate Minister shall pay to the local authority such proportion of the amount payable under sub-paragraph (1) above as is just having regard to the extent to which the building was so used respectively for business of the abolished courts, and for other purposes.