法律援助署五十周年紀念特刊 | Legal Aid Department 50th Anniversary Commemorative Publication

P.7 法律援助署五十周年紀念特刊 政務司司長獻辭 欣逢法律援助署成立五十周年，謹致熱烈賀忱。 香港特別行政區政府堅守法治，而法律援助服務是香港法律制度的重要一環，以確保需要法 律協助的人士不會因為經濟困難而無法訴諸司法。 香港的法律援助制度全面、穩健、經費充足，在全球名列前茅。法律援助署在維護本港法治 和公義方面，一直擔當着重要的角色。自一九七零年成立以來，該署一直為有理據提出訴訟 或抗辯而欠缺經濟能力的人士，提供可靠和優質的法律援助服務，以確保他們不會因經濟問 題而無法尋求公義。 法律援助署與時並進，五十年來不斷擴展服務，除擴大民事及刑事法援範圍外，還推出普通 法援計劃和法援輔助計劃。每年平均超過八千人受惠於法援服務。在香港法院每年處理的刑 事案件中，逾八成被告獲得法援服務。 展望將來，我深信法律援助署定必繼續與社會各界並肩攜手，確保香港法援制度一如以往， 效率與效益兼備。 際此金禧之慶，謹向法律援助署全體人員衷心致意，感謝他們多年來努力不懈。我亦祝願該 署工作穩步向前，繼續服務市民，貢獻社會。 Message from the Chief Secretary for Administration I wish to extend my warmest congratulations to the Legal Aid Department on its 50th Anniversary. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government attaches great importance to upholding the rule of law in Hong Kong. Legal aid is an integral part of the legal system in Hong Kong that seeks to ensure that those in need of legal assistance will not be denied access to justice owing to lack of means. The legal aid system in Hong Kong has been ranked as one of the most comprehensive, well-established and adequately funded systems in the world. The Legal Aid Department has all along been playing a vital role in upholding the rule of law and justice in Hong Kong. Since its establishment in 1970, the Department has been committed to providing reliable and quality legal aid services to persons with reasonable grounds for pursuing or defending legal action, with a view to ensuring that they would not be deprived of justice because of financial constraints. Over the past 50 years, the Department has been moving with the times and continuously expanding its scope of services. These include extending the coverage of civil and criminal legal aid, as well as launching the Ordinary Legal Aid Scheme and the Supplementary Legal Aid Scheme. An annual average of over 8 000 people benefit from the legal aid services. Among the criminal court cases in Hong Kong, over 80 percent of defendants are granted with legal aid. Looking ahead, I am confident that the Department will continue to work closely with all quarters of society to maintain an efficient and effective legal aid system in Hong Kong. On this joyous occasion of the Department’s Golden Jubilee, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all members of its staff for their relentless effort in serving Hong Kong people over the years. I also wish the Department continuous success in serving Hong Kong in the years ahead. 張建宗 Matthew Cheung Kin-chung 政務司司長 Chief Secretary for Administration