***********************************

The following is the speech by the Chief Secretary forAdministration, Mrs Anson Chan, in resuming the second reading debate of the Legal Aid (Amendment) Bill 1999 in the Legislative Council today (May 3):

Madam President:

The Legal Aid (Amendment) Bill 1999 seeks to implement the improvement measures arising from the Legal Aid Policy Review 1997.

The Bill brings three major amendments to the Legal Aid Ordinance. Clause 5 of the Bill amends section 18A of the Ordinance to give the Director of Legal Aid the discretion to reduce, or not to seek, interest on the charge on preserved or recovered property if it is just and equitable to do so or if the charging of interest would cause serious hardship to the aided person.

Clause 9 of the Bills seeks to require the legally aided person under the Supplementary Legal Aid Scheme (SLAS) to pay interim contribution which is set at the maximum amount payable under the standard legal aid scheme, regardless of the outcome of the case. The amendment will bring the arrangement of SLAS into line with the standard scheme.

Under Clause 10 of the Bill, legal aid would be provided to close relative of the deceased in coroner's inquests in cases where the Director of Legal Aid considers the interest of public justice requires that legal aid be given.

The House Committee of this Council has completed scrutiny of the Bill, and supports the resumption of Second Reading debate on it. The Honourable Ambrose Lau, Chairman of the Bills Committee, and its Members have made a number of very useful comments on how the legal aid system might be improved further. Members have also provided valuable advice on the draft Legal Aid (Amendment) Regulation, which we have taken into account in preparing the Amendment Regulation. I am most grateful to the Bills Committee for their hard work.

We shall present the Legal Aid (Amendment) Regulation and Legal Aid (Assessment of Resources and Contribution) (Amendment) Regulation for negative vetting by this Council after the passage of the Bill. It is our intention that the Bill and the Regulations should come into effect concurrently.

Madam President, I beg to move.

---------------------------------

The following is the speech by the Chief Secretary for

Administration, Mrs Anson Chan, in moving the third reading

of the Legal Aid (Amendment) Bill 1999 in the Legislative Council today (May 3):

Madam President:

The Legal Aid (Amendment) Bill 1999 has passed through Committee Stage without amendment. I move that the Legal Aid (Amendment) Bill 1999 be read the Third Time and do pass.

End/Wednesday, May 3, 2000

NNNN