Privacy Policy

The Legal Aid Department ("the LAD") is committed to ensuring that all personal data are handled in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance. Practical steps will be taken to erase personal data which are no longer required for the purpose for which they were used.

Visits to the LAD website are recorded without collecting any personal identifiable information of the browser. The number of visits collected will be used for the purpose of preparing statistics.

If you are invited to provide personal data such as your name and contact details to the LAD through this website, the collection purpose and intended use of your data will be made clear. You will also be advised as to how you may request access to or make correction of the personal data provided. Unless permitted or required by law, the LAD will not disclose your personal data to any third parties without your prior consent. Personal data provided by you and collected through the LAD website is secured and protected by SSL protocol encryption and access to the data is restricted to authorised personnel only.

Types and Purposes of Personal Data Held

The types of personal data held by the department, and the main purposes for which the personal data are used, are appended below.

Control of Personal Data

The Deputy Director of Legal Aid/Policy & Administration is designated as the Controlling Officer for personal data in this department, responsible for monitoring and reviewing personal data protection measures to ensure compliance with the requirements of the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance.

The Deputy Departmental Secretary is designated as the Data Privacy Officer, responsible for ensuring that the department's personal data protection measures are applied to the collection, handling, use, processing and disclosure of personal data and for ensuring that data access and data correction requests are processed in accordance with the requirements of the Ordinance.

Data Access/Correction Requests

Requests for access to or correction of personal data held by the department may be made on a request form obtainable from the enquiries counters and the Personnel Registry of this department. Requests should be addressed to:

Personal Data Privacy Officer
Legal Aid Department
27/F, Queensway Government Offices
66 Queensway
Hong Kong

Charges

A charge will be made to cover the cost of photocopying personal data supplied in response to a data access request at the rate of $1.5 per photocopy (for photocopying black and white on A4 size paper) or $1.6 per photocopy (for photocopying black and white on A3 size paper) or as otherwise provided for or approved by the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury.

Types of Personal Data Held

Type of personal data held	Main purposes
Case-related Personal Data
Personal particulars and other information provided by any intended applicants through Legal Aid Electronic Services Portal	To consider whether sufficient information has been provided for lodging an application for legal aid where the means and merits of such application is to be assessed and/or to be used for the purpose of subsequent legally aided proceedings.
Personal particulars and other information provided by applicants and legally aided clients.	To determine the means and merits of applications, and/or to be used for the purpose of subsequent legally aided proceedings.
Information in relation to legal aid applications/cases provided by other government departments or agencies or persons or lawyers who have been requested by the Director of Legal Aid to give reports and/or opinions.	To enable the Director of Legal Aid to perform his duties and functions under the Legal Aid Ordinance and the Legal Aid in Criminal Cases Rules.
Information in relation to legal aid applications/cases provided by persons or bodies including but not limited to the opposite parties, their legal representatives or other third parties on the means of applicants and/or legally aided clients and/or merits of their cases.	To enable the Director of Legal Aid to perform his duties and functions under the Legal Aid Ordinance and the Legal Aid in Criminal Cases Rules.
Information in relation to assigned lawyers' costs and disbursements.	To make payment to assigned lawyers and to monitor the costs and disbursements of legal aid cases.
Information provided by lawyers for the Legal Aid Panel	To be used for the purposes as stipulated in Section 4 of the Legal Aid Ordinance, Rule 3 of Legal Aid in Criminal Cases Rules and for the assignment of legal aid work.
Employment-related Personal Data
Personal data held on serving officers and former employees includes: personal and family particulars, educations, qualifications, employment history, salary and allowances, terms and conditions of service, housing, medical records, leave and passages, training, investments, outside employment, appraisal reports, promotion board assessments, records of conduct and discipline.	For employment-related purposes, including appointment, integrity checking, postings and transfers, offer/renewal/extension of agreement, incremental credit, training and career development, revision of terms or conditions of service, promotion, discipline, continuation in or removal from office, pensions and provision of testimonials.
Recruitment and appointment data on applicants for appointment to grades under the control of the Director of Legal Aid.	To facilitate assessment of suitability for recruitment or appointment.

Note: The types and purposes of personal data shown are by no means exhaustive.