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The following is issued on behalf of Judiciary:

The Mediation Co-ordinator's Office (MCO), which was set up to implement the Pilot Scheme on Family Mediation (Pilot Scheme), will continue to function after the expiry of the extended period of the Pilot Scheme tomorrow (July 31), the Judiciary announced today (July 30).

"The MCO will be maintained to continue to hold information sessions for divorcing/separating couples and serve as an enquiry office on family mediation service," a Judiciary spokesman said.

"The MCO will help the parties understand mediation and assist them in obtaining mediation service. The parties themselves will bear the mediation fees payable to mediators who provide family mediation service for new cases from August 1," the spokesman added.

"However, some non-governmental organisations and mediators in the private practice have agreed to provide free mediation service to parties who have financial difficulties, such as Comprehensive Social Security Assistance recipients."

"Since implementation of the Pilot Scheme, of the 845 couples who have received and completed mediation, 669 have reached full or partial agreement over disputes on matters, such as financial support for spouse and children, child custody and property division. The successful rate is nearly 80 %," the spokesman said.

The Judiciary has commissioned the Hong Kong Polytechnic University to conduct an evaluation on the full-period of the three-year Pilot Scheme. A final report will be submitted to the Steering Committee on the Pilot Scheme on Family Mediation later this year. In light of the evaluation report, the future direction of family mediation will be considered.

End/Wednesday, July 30, 2003

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