Legal Aid Services Council
The Legal Aid Services Council is responsible for overseeing the administration of the legal aid services provided by the Legal Aid Department and the department is accountable to the council for the provision of such services.
Home Affairs Bureau
The Home Affairs Bureau aims to enrich life by supporting and promoting the development of the arts, culture, sports and recreation, preservation of cultural heritage and beautification of the environment, and to build Hong Kong as a vibrant, caring and harmonious community.
The Legal Aid Services Council is proposing employees’ claims on appeal from the Labour Tribunal be included without size limit in the Supplementary Legal Aid Scheme, as it is socially deserving.
In a paper submitted by the Home Affairs Bureau and the Legal Aid Department to the Legislative Council Panel on Administration of Justice & Legal Services, other proposals from the Legal Aid Services Council include recommending a wider range of professional negligence be included on an incremental basis taking into account whether the profession concerned is insured or required to be.
Accountants, architects, engineers and surveyors are recommended to be included in the first batch.
The Legal Aid Services Council recommends claims against incorporated owners for property damage in a multi-storey building should be brought under the Supplementary Legal Aid Scheme.
As to claims against individual owners alone, the council considers it is not appropriate to include them in the scheme.
Currently, money claims in derivatives of securities, currency futures or other futures should also be included in the Supplementary Legal Aid Scheme.
After considering all these proposals and the views of stakeholders, the Government plans to submit the legislative amendment rules to LegCo for consideration and approval in May or June next year, to put the amendment rules in effect in June or July.
