TNAG-2175-FCO40-3112-Hong-Kong-Bill-of-Rights-1990 — Page 270

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35

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FINANCIAL & STAFFING IMPLICATIONS

80.

One major possible financial and staffing implcation has become apparent since earlier submissions on this Bill. Legal advice is that the enactment of this Bill will result in a legal commitment for the Government to provide much more legal aid in the Magistrates' Courts. The complete extent of this commitment, or the best means to meet it, is not quite certain. But the best estimate of the additional annual recurrent expenditure necessary is in the region of $100 million to meet lawyers fees and staff costs in the Legal Aid Department and consequential costs in the Judiciary, in the Royal Hong Kong Police Force and in the Legal Department. The above does not

not include the

possible requirement for one whole new Magistracy involving capital expenditure of about another $100 million. of the size of the resources involved (and

budgetary difficulties) and the changes which will be required to the present

present operation of legal aid in the Magistracies by the Law Society, it may be necessary implement this major extension in a phased separate submission

on the subject of how extend legal aid to the magistracies in the light of the

Bill of Rights and

prepared.

In view

present

manner.

to

A

and when to

practice elsewhere is now being

PUBLIC REACTION

81.

the

The public would generally welcome introduction of the Bill into the Legislative Council and

take it positively as an indication of the Government's resolution to introduce further measures for the protection of human rights. However, there is likely to be criticism from different sectors of the community for different

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