XN000022-1993-10-27 — Page 37

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1993

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HE SAID THE HONG KONG OCCUPATION SAFETY AND HEALTH COUNCIL AND THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC, WITH ASSISTANCE OF THE GOVERNMENT, WERE RUNNING TRAINING COURSES FOR ASBESTOS ABATEMENT WORK STAFF AND ASBESTOS CONSULTANTS.

IN ADDITION, DRAFT CODES OF PRACTICE FOR PROFESSIONALS AND WORKERS CONCERNED WITH ASBESTOS REMOVAL AND SAFETY ARE BEING PREPARED AND WILL BE SUBMITTED TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION ADVISORY COMMITTEE SHORTLY, HE SAID.

BUDGET FOR VII'S STATUS CLAIMS

FIVE SOLICITOR FIRMS AND 17 PRIVATE BARRISTERS HAVE BEEN ENGAGED ON CLAIMS FOR REFUGEE STATUS BY ILLEGAL VIETNAMESE IMMIGRANTS SINCE 1990/91.

THIS WAS STATED BY THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR DAVID FORD, IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON MRS ELSIE TU IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

AS THE LEGAL AID DEPARTMENT DOES NOT MAKE ANY DISTINCTION BETWEEN "RESIDENT" AND "NON-RESIDENT" PRACTITIONERS, NO RECORDS ARE KEPT FOR SUCH CATEGORISATION AND THEIR RELATIVE COSTS TO THE PUBLIC PURSE, SIR DAVID SAID.

ON THE PROPORTION OF THE DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET USED TO PAY PRIVATE LAWYERS AND THE AMOUNT SPENT ON SUCH CLAIMS, HE GAVE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:

PAYMENT TO

APPROVED PRIVATE

PROVISION

LAWYERS FOR

FOR

LITIGATION/

EXPENSES ON CLAIMS FOR REFUGEE STATUS BY

PERCENTAGE

OF

PERCENTAGE OF PAYMENT

PROVISION

THE

LEGAL

LEGAL AID REPRESENTAT-

DEPARTMENT ION

ILLEGAL VIETNAMESE

TO PRIVATE

IMMIGRANTS

LAWYERS

DEPARTMENT'S TO PRIVATE

FOR PAYMENT ON REFUGEE

LAWYERS

STATUS

CLAIMS

($M)

(SM)

($M)

1990/91

190.49

98.37

2.16

51.64%

2.20%

1991/92

225.20

113.32

4.93

50.32%

4.35%

1992/93

256.77

131.14

11.35

51.07%

8.65%

1993/94

259.50

77.11#

1.14*

59.43%*

1.48%

(129.75)*

PART-YEAR FIGURE FROM 1.4.93 TO 30.9.93

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