THE LEGAL SYSTEM
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Officer (International Law) and deals with all external legal matters arising out of the Sino-British Joint Declaration. The Chambers Manager heads the Administration Division which deals with all administrative matters concerning the Attorney General's Chambers as a whole. He is also the controlling officer.
A unit known as the Localisation of Laws Unit has been established in the Attorney General's Chambers to co-ordinate and speed up work in the area of localisation of United Kingdom legislation which now applies to Hong Kong. In conjunction with the Con- stitutional Affairs Branch and the International Law and Civil Divisions of the Attorney General's Chambers, the unit studies all United Kingdom laws which apply to Hong Kong and consults with policy branches on whether the law in question will be needed in future. Where appropriate, drafting instructions will be prepared with a view to local legislation being enacted which will reproduce that law in a form in which it can survive after 1997.
Legislation has already been enacted to localise laws in the fields of admiralty juris- diction, marine pollution and merchant shipping. The target date for the completion of the Localisation of Laws programmes is 1994.
The Attorney General is responsible for all prosecutions in Hong Kong, and it is for him alone to decide whether or not a prosecution should be instituted in any particular case, and it is his responsibility to conduct and control the proceedings.
Most minor prosecutions heard before magistrates are routine matters which are dealt with by law enforcement departments along settled guidelines issued under the authority of the Attorney General and without individual reference to the Attorney General's Chambers. Where such cases are complicated, or give rise to difficult points of law, advice is sought from the Prosecutions Division. The advice of the Attorney General's Chambers must be sought in the case of serious offences which are to be heard in the District Court or the Supreme Court.
Law Reform Commission
The Law Reform Commission was appointed by the Governor in Council to consider and report on such topics as may be referred to it by the Attorney General or Chief Justice. Its membership includes Legislative Councillors, academic and practising lawyers, and prominent members of the community.
Since its establishment in 1980, the commission has published 19 reports covering subjects as diverse as Commercial Arbitration, Homosexuality, Bail, and Competence and Compellability of Spouses in Criminal Proceedings. The recommendations in seven of those reports have been implemented by the government either in whole or in part and others are still under consideration.
The commission is currently considering references on Evidence in Civil Action, Arrest and Detention, Copyright, Fraud, Privacy, Codification of the Criminal Law, Illegitimacy, Grounds for Divorce, and Guardianship and Custody.
Registrar General
The Registrar General, a statutory office established by the Registrar General (Establish- ment) Ordinance, combines the statutory offices of Land Officer, Registrar of Companies, Official Receiver, Official Trustee and Official Solicitor. The Registrar General's De- partment is divided into three main divisions. The Land Division operates the Land Registry under the provisions of the Land Registration Ordinance and also provides a