Payment for Government Services by Consumers: Some Legal Considerations

Abstract

Analysis ; As a result of financial pressure, many Hong Kong Government departments have in recent years made an administrative decision to levy charges for some of their services. In so doing, the time-honoured constitutional principle that there is no power to levy charges in the absence of clear legislative authority may well have been overlooked. The author warns that in the absence of express or implied statutory power, such levies will be ultra vires. ; published_or_final_version