Chapter 1
Departmental Strategic Plan
The Department’s strategic plan sets out our objectives and describes how the objectives can be achieved. The strategic plan provides a rational basis upon which priorities are determined and is regularly updated to ensure that resources are well targeted and used effectively having regard to the changing needs of society.
The Department’s strategic plan can also be viewed at the Department’s website.
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| (Rear row from left) Mr Steve Wong Yiu-fai, Miss Ada Wong Yiu-ming, Ms Mo Yuk-wah, Ms Tse Sze-fong, Miss Linda Ng Wing-ping, Ms Juliana Chan Miu-kuen, Ms Doris Lui Wai-lan, Mrs Christina Hadiwibawa Cheung Ying-man (Front row from left)
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Implementation of the Strategic Plan in 2012
Expansion of the Scope of the Ordinary Legal Aid Scheme (OLAS) and Supplementary Legal Aid Scheme (SLAS)
With effect from 30 November 2012, the expanded scope of OLAS and SLAS was implemented. For OLAS, it was expanded to cover monetary claims in derivatives of securities, currency futures or other futures contracts when fraud, misrepresentation or deception is involved in respect of the sale. The amendment was introduced with an intent to fight against unscrupulous practices concerning the sale of structured financial products which are increasingly common in Hong Kong but at the same time not to encourage speculative activities.
As for SLAS, the expanded scope covered 8 more professional negligence claims, monetary claims against vendors arising from the sale of first-hand residential properties, negligence claims against insurers or their intermediaries in respect of the taking out of the personal insurance products for claims at $60,000 or above and representation for employees in appeals against awards made by the Labour Tribunal irrespective of the amount in dispute. The expansion was aimed to benefit more people from the middle class.
Criminal Legal Aid
The expanded scope of criminal legal aid to cover appeals to the Court of First Instance, the Court of Appeal and the Court of Final Appeal which do not involve conviction and the new payment structures for lawyers undertaking criminal legal aid work were implemented on 9 March 2012.
The new payment structure of the criminal legal aid system under amended Rule 21 of the Legal Aid in Criminal Cases Rules introduced additional items of remuneration for work done by panel lawyers in criminal legal aid work. Under the new fees structure, the rates for work done by solicitors which were revised, as well as the required preparatory time will be assessed beforehand and marked on the brief when making the assignment. Assigned lawyers can review the bundles before the assignments with a view to agreeing the fees to be paid. Assigned lawyers can also seek a redetermination of the agreed fees if circumstances warrant this.
Information System
Following the promulgation of the Electronic Information Management (EIM) strategy on content, knowledge and record management in 2010, the Department has kicked off the procurement of consultancy services for developing the Information Management Foundation (IMF) upon the award of funding bid in 2012 for the implementation of phase 1 initiatives which in the main involves the establishment of IMF for managing electronic information and the setting up of an information storage database.
Following the release of government-wide Metadata Standards for Recordkeeping and Content/Knowledge Management by Government Records Services and OGCIO in May and August 2012 respectively, the Department has also started developing its own IMF to manage electronic information.
Customer Services
To keep the public abreast of the recent substantial expansion of scope of the OLAS and SLAS and implementation of other improvement measures brought about by the recent 5-yearly review, a new video on legal aid services was produced for public viewing and has been uploaded onto the departmental website.
To upgrade the waiting area and improve working environment for staff, reception areas of the Crime Section and the Information & Application Services Unit of the Department’s Headquarters Offices were also fully renovated to offer a better environment for our customers including barrier-free access facilities for persons with disabilities.
To afford greater convenience to the aided persons, the Department has further extended the Payment by Phone Services to cover one off payment of contribution by aided persons in May 2012.
Publicity
The Department continued organizing various activities to promote the public’s awareness and understanding of legal aid services which included giving talks to local, overseas and mainland university students. The Department also launched outreaching programme to ethnic minorities groups. In November 2012, 2 professional officers of the Department met 300 senior students of the Delia Memorial School (Broadway) including those of ethnic minorities and briefed them on the legal aid services provided by the Department.
Further to the publishing of the leaflet on "Mediation in Legally-aided Matrimonial Cases" last year, the Department has published another leaflet on “Mediation in Legally Aided Non-Matrimonial Civil Cases" for aided persons who were granted legal aid in non-matrimonial civil proceedings. The leaflet has been available for distribution in September 2012.
Human Resources
The Department placed high priority to the training needs of staff. A wide range of courses was arranged in 2012 for staff at all levels including in-house job-related workshops and courses provided by external organizations. To promote the well-being of staff and cultivate a balanced work life, the Department acquired about 50 books, mainly in Chinese, on various topics such as positive thinking, stress management, healthy life style, personal development, etc. The books have been well-received by staff. The Department will continue to explore topics and take into consideration the reading needs of staff in purchasing books.
The Department also took an active role in serving the community and participating in fund raising activities. In 2012, the Department attained the Top Fund-raiser Award and the 2nd Highest Per Capita Contribution Award in the Civil Service Category of Dress Casual Day organized by The Community Chest.
