***********************************************************
Following is the speech by the Acting Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Michael Suen, in moving the resolution under the Legal Aid Ordinance in the Legislative Council today (May 2):
Madam President,
I move the Resolution standing in my name on the agenda.
At present, a person whose disposable financial resources do not exceed $158,300 is financially eligible for legal aid under the Ordinary Legal Aid Scheme. The corresponding limit for the Supplementary Legal Aid Scheme is $439,800. The limits are set out in section 5 and 5A of the Legal Aid Ordinance. The limit for the Ordinary Scheme also applies to criminal legal aid. Our policy is to review these limits annually to take into account movements in consumer prices, so as to maintain the real value of the limits.
We last increased the limits by 1.6% in June last year to reflect the cumulative change in Consumer Price Index (C) recorded during the reference periods of the 2004 and 2005 annual reviews.
We have completed the 2006 review. The increase in the consumer price index between July 2005 and July 2006 is 2.5%. Having consulted the Panel on Administration of Justice and Legal Services, we now propose the Resolution to adjust upward the limit for the Ordinary Scheme from $158,300 to $162,300, which will also apply to criminal legal aid and that for the Supplementary Scheme from $439,800 to $450,800, in accordance with the 2.5% increase in consumer price index.
I invite Members to support the Resolution.
Ends/Wednesday, May 2, 2007
Issued at HKT 18:46
NNNN
