1.1 During the year under review, the Duty Lawyer Service’s (“DLS”) Duty Lawyer Scheme had represented 17,064 defendants charged with criminal offences in the Magistrates’ Courts, representing a decrease of 8.23% over the previous year. The number of subjects the DLS Care or Protection Scheme represented in Care or Protection Proceedings in the Juvenile Courts was 145 representing a decrease of 7.64%. The DLS Legal Assistance Scheme for Non-refoulement Claimants had handled 684 claims representing a decrease of 24.08% over the previous year. The DLS Free Legal Advice Scheme had the pro bono service of 875 volunteer lawyers at nine evening centers advising 5,605 persons representing a decrease of 22.75% over the previous year. The DLS Tel Law Scheme had recorded a total of 19,678 calls representing an increase of 6.09% over the previous year. The DLS Tel Law website had recorded 454,211 hits representing a decrease of 25.98% over the previous year. The DLS’ website’s Visitor Sessions had recorded 368,038 hits, representing a decrease of 3.46% over the previous year. The decrease is generally the result of the COVID-19 pandemic leading to the suspension of courts and hearings during the Judiciary’s General Adjourned Period and thereafter and also by the closure and scaling down of public facilities at its height.