TNAG-0845-FCO40-1055-Visits-of-Foreign-and-Commonwealth-officials-to-Hong-Kong-1979 — Page 90

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residents to be appointed to sit with magistrates and advise them on such subjects.

Reorganisation of the Legal Department

3. At the time of Mr Griffiths' appointment, the opportunity was taken to reorganise the Legal Department. The post of Solicitor- General was abolished, and the department was divided into three Divisions, each headed by a Law Officer: Civil Division, Prosecutions Division and Law Drafting Division.

The purpose of

the reorganisation was to free the Attorney-General from the pressure of day to day business (by, in effect, giving him three deputies instead of one) and thus enable him to concentrate better on the major policy questions. It would be helpful to know if this reorganisation is achieving its purpose.

Hong Kong and General Department September 1979

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