The public would judge whether taxpayers' money should be granted to challenge the law imposing restrictions on permanent residency, Provisional Legislative Council President Rita Fan Hsu Lai-tai said yesterday. Twenty-two mainland children have been granted legal aid to challenge the law, which requires them to get a certificate of entitlement attached to their one-way permit before they are allowed to come to Hong Kong. 'It's acceptable for lawyers to provide a free service to the children, but we have to look into the nature of the case to decide whether legal aid should be granted. The public will know,' she said. Mrs Fan said the law had been debated and amended by the interim body and had been reported to the National People's Congress Standing Committee. The committee had the right to interpret the Basic Law. If the court wanted to consult it on the Basic Law, it could do so, she said. She refused to say whether the committee had a final say on whether the law was contrary to the Basic Law. 'I do not want to interfere with the Judiciary.'
