TNAG-0670-FCO40-819-Policy-of-Government-of-Hong-Kong-on-land-in-New-Territories-1977 — Page 36

GR 175

PRIORITY

CYPHER/CAT A

E! HONG KONG 1997aal

1087867

J

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

E

10FE: 1977

4KK 360/4

TO PRIORITY F C O TELNO 153 OF 10 FEBRUARY.

241

F/A

2(5)

(5) YOUR

YOUR TELNO. 47 AND MY TELNO. 851

LAGT

1:50

5

PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS BY MR. R. PARRY.

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 43,000 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

FILES

Thind 6HK1320/2

• HILIL 182/2

COPIES TO:

HKD (3) FED

PS

PS/LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS

MR S J KIDD

HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE

PS/ER LUJARD

MR CORTAZZI

MR MURRAY

CONFIDENTIAL