Payment to Aided Persons and Service Providers

In 2016-17, the Department paid out $721.8 million to lawyers/experts/other parties and $1,254 million to legally aided persons. During the year, the Department exceeded all performance targets on payment:

Customer Feedback

With a view to enhancing our provision of services to the public, the Department regularly conducts comprehensive surveys on customer feedback on different aspects of the legal aid services. The surveys cover application and processing procedures for legal aid and the Department's in-house litigation services. Different methodologies such as on the spot collection and mail surveys have been used depending on the points of contact and on the stages and types of services rendered to customers. The overall customer satisfaction level remained high in 2016. The charts at Appendix2 illustrate the major findings of the survey on customer feedback.

Customer Service Initiatives

Office Accommodation

The newly renovated interview rooms, reception counter, public waiting area and Shroff Office at Kowloon Branch Office (“KBO”) came into service in January 2016. The upgraded public facilities and its barrier-free design allowed the public to receive our service in a more comfortable and private setting. Renovation works of the office area on 3/F, KBO, were also completed in August 2016. The project not only improved the work environment for our staff,but also enhanced the level of occupational safety of the office.

Complaints

The Assistant Director of Legal Aid (Policy and Development) is the designated Complaint Liaison Officer to coordinate the handling of all the complaints received. Members of the public may lodge complaints in person with the Customer Service Officers of individual sections or by telephone or in writing to the Department by post, email or by fax. All complaints received will be handled according to the Department's complaint handling mechanism which is in compliance with the Government's general complaint handling guidelines. The Department will investigate and handle all complaints impartially and expeditiously. In general, an interim reply will be given within 10 days after the receipt of a complaint, and a substantive reply will be given within 30 days.

Representations

To qualify for legal aid, applicants must pass both the means and merits tests. If anyone believes that a person should not have been given legal aid on means and/or merits, he can write to us and let us know the reasons. The Application and Processing Division is responsible for conducting review of representations against grants of legal aid on merits. Representations against grants of legal aid on means are handled by the Special Duties and Research Unit. The Department has published a leaflet to explain the investigation system and to address frequently asked questions. Please visit http://www.lad.gov.hk/eng/documents/ppr/publication/Not_Happy_en.pdf to view the leaflet.

In 2016, the Special Duties and Research Unit received 56 representations against grants of legal aid on means and completed investigation in 58 cases. 7 cases were referred to the police for investigation as to whether any offence was committed under Section 23 of the Legal Aid Ordinance, Cap. 91, and in two cases, whether any offence was also committed under Section 18A of the Theft Ordinance, Cap. 210 and Section 36 of the Crimes Ordinance, Cap.

LAD's Hotline Service - the Interactive Voice Response System

The previous Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) had been in use since February 2004. To prevent the hotline service from being affected by wear and tear of the old IVRS, we started the IVRS replacement project in 2016. With the professional advice and support from EMSD, the new IVRS was launched successfully in August 2016. We would continue to do our best in providing high quality hotline service to the public.