Committee of Supply 2024 debate, Day 3: Raj Joshua Thomas on Public Defender's Office and supporting small law firms
In Parliament on Friday (Mar 1), NMP Raj Joshua Thomas asked the Ministry of Law to provide an update on the number of cases the Public Defender’s Office (PDO) has taken up since it first commenced operations. He stated that as at September 2023, it had received around 1,300 applications, of which close to 580 were assessed as ineligible. He wanted to know if there would be a review of the means testing criteria, as about half of the rejected applications were because the applicants did not meet the prescribed means criteria. On supporting small law firms, he asked the Minister to elaborate on what the ministry is doing to help these firms get a “firmer bite of the pie” of the international work that is coming into Singapore. He also wanted to know if the ministry would consider encouraging consolidation in the industry.
In Parliament on Friday (Mar 1), NMP Raj Joshua Thomas asked the Ministry of Law to provide an update on the number of cases the Public Defender’s Office (PDO) has taken up since it first commenced operations. He stated that as at September 2023, it had received around 1,300 applications, of which close to 580 were assessed as ineligible. He wanted to know if there would be a review of the means testing criteria, as about half of the rejected applications were because the applicants did not meet the prescribed means criteria. On supporting small law firms, he asked the Minister to elaborate on what the ministry is doing to help these firms get a “firmer bite of the pie” of the international work that is coming into Singapore. He also wanted to know if the ministry would consider encouraging consolidation in the industry.
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