The Steering Committee on the Provision of Legal Advice for Litigants in Person Chairman Mr Justice Pang Kin-kee today briefed more than 30 barristers and solicitors enrolled as community lawyers on a new two-year pilot scheme to help litigants in person.

Starting from March 18, the scheme will provide free legal advice for those litigants who have commenced or are parties to legal proceedings in the District Court or higher courts and have not been granted legal aid.

"The scheme is fully supported by the Judiciary. With the number of litigants in person growing in recent years, we hope that the pilot scheme will help to provide them with the necessary assistance and advice in following legal procedures and help ease the pressure on judicial time and resources," Mr Justice Pang said. 

The scheme's office is headed by a legally qualified Centre-in-charge, and supported by two resident lawyers. Around 110 law students of local universities have been recruited as volunteers to assist in its operation.

Eligible applicants are subject to a monthly income limit of $50,000 or an annual income limit of $600,000. Applications should be submitted in person to the pilot scheme's office at Room LG217, LG2, High Court Building, 38 Queensway, Hong Kong. The office is open from 8.45am to 1pm and from 2pm to 6pm, Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays.

Click here for the scheme's details or call 2259 5017 for enquiries.

Personal data records for about 160 people who used emergency ambulances on November 11 and 12, 2012, have been reported missing, and are suspected to have been stolen.

Tsuen Wan Ambulance Depot staff discovered on March 12 that printed copies of ambulance journey records for those two dates were missing. The copies contained personal data including names, identity card numbers, gender and clinical information.

The documents were stored in a locked cabinet inside the depot office which only authorised people could access. Staff reported the case to the Police and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data.

The department expressed concern and apologised over the case, and will contact those affected as soon as possible. It will review its procedures for data storage and security arrangements to prevent similar incidents.

Customs officers arrested a 21-year-old man in Mong Kok after finding 3kg of ketamine with an estimated street value of about $363,000 in a bag he was carrying.

The man was charged with trafficking in a dangerous drug and will appear at Kowloon City Magistrates' Court tomorrow.

A 21-year-old man has died after he reportedly lost control of his motorcycle and rammed into a lampost in Tseung Kwan O last night.

The accident occurred at about 11.45pm as he was travelling along Tai Au Mun Road towards Clear Water Bay Beach, near Clear Water Bay Second Beach.

He was sent to Tseung Kwan O Hospital where he was certified dead at 0.21am today.

Anyone who saw the accident should call Police on 2305 7572.