XN000022-1995-07-12 — Page 24

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Mr Mathews set out the various areas where action had been taken by the Government to have the rule of law strengthened.

The Bill of Rights Ordinance, incorporating the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights as applied to Hong Kong was enacted, and recently several other measures to consolidate and strengthen its impact, and human rights protection generally, had been introduced.

Extra resources have been provided for the Judiciary to introduce specialist lists for cases involving the Bill of Rights, and legislation has been enacted, and the necessary resources provided, to enable the Director of Legal Aid to waive the means test in civil claims under the Bill of Rights Ordinance.

Together with the on-going exercise of reviewing legislation to ensure compliance with the Bill of Rights Ordinance, there is the review of legislation that may infringe freedom of expression, in particular, press freedom.

Other measures include the extension to Hong Kong of the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment; increased for human rights education; enactment of legislation against sex discrimination; establishment of an Equal Opportunities Commission; introduction of legislation against discrimination on the ground of disability, and in the area of data protection; and extension to Hong Kong of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

All these measures and those mentioned by the Chief Secretary in the motion debate "indicate in the clearest possible terms that the long Kong Government is passionately committed to enhancing and promoting human rights protection ensuring the continuation of the rule of law in Hong Kong", Mr Mathews said.

Mr Mathews also answered criticisms against the Court of Final Appeal Bill that were raised by certain Members.

The suggestion that the agreement reached at the Joint Liaison Group last month was a "rotten deal", and that the Court of Final Appeal Bill would undermine the future rule of law in Hong Kong, were bizarre in the extreme.

"These suggestions are wholly irresponsible, having no foundation whatsoever in fact or evidence, are totally misleading and very damaging to confidence in Hong Kong's future," he said.