TNAG-1362-FCO40-1808-Hong-Kong-Hansard-reports-and-minutes-of-the-meetings-of-the-1985 — Page 134

Sir,

Speech by the Hon. P.K.Y. Tsao, CPM, JP,

Secretary for Administrative Services

and Information in Legislative Council

on Wednesday, 1 May 1985

These

I beg to move the resolution to approve the Legal Aid in Criminal Cases (Amendment) Rules 1985.

rules are made by the Chief Justice under the provisions

of the Criminal Procedure Ordinance.

The purpose of the amendments is to improve the administration of legal aid in criminal cases.

Rule 2 relates to those cases in which a

Solicitor is assigned by the Director of Legal Aid to represent a legally aided person but another Solicitor in the same firm conducts the case in place of the Solicitor

originally assigned. In order to exercise a measure of control over the conduct of criminal cases, and to protect

the interests of the aided person, the amendment seeks to restrict the right of the Solicitor originally assigned to pass the case to another Solicitor in the same firm. Cases in which the Solicitor is not assigned as an advocate will remain unaffected but in respect of those in which the Solicitor is assigned to conduct the case in Court, an alternate Solicitor from the same firm will only be permitted to appear with the prior approval of the Director of Legal Aid.

/The opportunity