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PRIORITY
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FM HONG KONG 1007MAL
CONFIDENT I AL
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Para(s)
TO PRIORITY F C O TELNO 153 OF 10 FEBRUARY.
YOUR TELNO. 47 AND MY TELNO. 851
PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS BY MR. R. PARRY.
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WITH REFERENCE TO PARAGRAPH 4 OF MY TELNO. 85, YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT PROPOSALS TO RAISE THE FINANCIAL LIMITS OF ELIGIBILITY FOR LEGAL AID ARE AT AN ADVANCED STAGE AND SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY EXECUTIVE COUNCIL AT THE BEGINNING OF MARCH. DUFFY IS AWARE OF THIS FROM CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THOUGH NOT OF THE DETAILS.
2. THE PROPOSAL IS THAT THE LIMIT ON DISPOSABLE INCOME SHOULD BE
RAISED TO DOLLARS 1,000 PER MONTH AND THAT THE LIMIT ON DISPOSABLE CAPITAL SHOULD BE RAISED TO DOLLARS 10,000.
3. THE LEGAL AID (ASSESSMENT OF CONTRIBUTIONS) REGULATIONS ALSO
ALREADY PROVIDE THAT CERTAIN ITEMS SHALL NOT BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT IN ASSESSING EITHER DISPOSABLE CAPITAL OR DISPOSABLE INCOME. THIS WILL CONTINUE TO BE THE CASE. THEY RELATE, FOR EXAMPLE, TO THE FIRST DOLLARS 40,000 OF THE VALUE OF A DWELLING AFTER DEDUCTING ENCUMBRANCES (IN THE CASE OF DISPOSABLE CAPITAL) AND TO RENT, RATES
AND PERSONAL ALLOWANCES (IN THE CASE OF DISPOSABLE INCOME). THE ACTUAL LIMITS ARE THEREFORE CONSIDERABLY HIGHER THAN THOSE PRESCRIE IN THE LEGAL AID ORDINANCE.
MACLEHOSE
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PS/LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS
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MR MURRAY
1
COPIES TO:
MR S J KIDD
HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE
CONFIDENTIAL