XN000022-1996-12-24 — Page 2

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Service of ICAC Commissioner extended

The Government announced today (Tuesday) that the service of the existing Commissioner of the Independent Commission Against Corruption, Mr Michael Leung Man-kin, has been extended for a period of three months until March 31, 1997. Mr Leung's current contract will expire on January 2, 1997.

"Mr Leung has done a first-class job and we are pleased that he has accepted this extension," a Government spokesman said.

"The extension will provide time to identify the next Commissioner," he said.

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Financial eligibility limits for legal aid to be revised

The Legal Aid (Amendment) Bill 1996, which aims to increase the financial eligibility limits for legal aid, will be gazetted on Friday (December 27).

Under the proposed Bill, the financial eligibility limit for applicants under the Standard Legal Aid Scheme will be increased from $144,000 to $169,700. The lower and upper financial eligibility limits for the Supplementary Legal Aid Scheme will be raised from the present $144,000 and $400,000 to $169,700 and $471,600 · respectively.

A Government spokesman said today (Tuesday) it was committed to reviewing the financial eligibility limits for the two schemes every two years to take account of inflation. Similarly, the rates of contribution to legal costs and the amounts that may be waived by the Director of Legal Aid are also reviewed regularly in line with inflation.

"The accumulated inflation rate for the period from July 1994 to June 1996 was .. 17.9 per cent," he added.

The Bill further proposes that the Legislative Council be given the power to adjust by resolution the maximum amount of maintenance payment that may be exempted from the Director of Legal Aid's first charge as well as the maximum amount paid by the aided person to the Director that may be reduced by the Director.