Parliament (Privileges, Immunities and Powers) Act

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3 Privileges, immunities and powers to be same as those of Commons House of Parliament of United Kingdom

4 Other provisions of this Act not in derogation of section 3

5 Freedom of speech and debate and proceedings

6 Exemption from liability in certain cases

7 Protection of Parliamentary publications

8 Publication of proceedings without malice

9 Exemption from certain duties

10 Freedom from arrest in civil proceedings

11 Legal process not to be served or executed within precincts of Parliament

12 Power to order the attendance of persons

13 Attendance of persons to be notified by summons

14 Witnesses may be examined on oath or affirmation

15 Objections to answer questions or to produce papers to be reported to Parliament for decision

16 Privilege of witnesses

17 Immunity of witness in respect of evidence

18 Powers of Parliament in regard to strangers

19 Powers of Parliament in regard to its Members

20 Punitive powers of Parliament

21 Procedure in cases of contempt

22 Punishment in one session or Parliament in respect of offences committed in another

24 Power to order attendance of offenders

25 Attendance of offenders to be notified by summons

26 Arrest of defaulters

27 Arrest without warrant of persons disturbing proceedings

28 Strangers may be removed on order of Speaker

29 Suspended Member excluded from Parliament and not paid salary

30 Power of Speaker to issue warrants for arrest and imprisonment

32 Member to disclose pecuniary interest

33 Evidence of proceedings in Parliament or committee not to be given without leave

34 Printing false copy of laws, etc.

35 Certain fees, gifts, etc., prohibited

36 General offences and penalties

37 Restriction on prosecution

38 Powers of Speaker supplementary to powers otherwise conferred

39 Speaker to act notwithstanding prorogation or dissolution of Parliament

40 Journals to be admitted as evidence

Parliament (Privileges, Immunities and Powers) Act

(CHAPTER 217)

(Original Enactment: Ordinance 11 of 1962)

REVISED EDITION 2000

(1st July 2000)

An Act to declare and define the privileges, immunities and powers of Parliament and of the Speaker, Members and committees thereof, to regulate the conduct of Members and other persons in connection with the proceedings thereof, to give protection to persons employed in the publication of the reports and other papers of Parliament and for purposes incidental to or connected with the matters aforesaid.

[23rd March 1962]

PART I

PRELIMINARY

Short title

1. This Act may be cited as the Parliament (Privileges, Immunities and Powers) Act.

Interpretation

2. In this Act, unless inconsistent with the context —

“Clerk” means the Clerk of Parliament or other person for the time being lawfully performing the functions of that office;

“committee” means a committee of the whole Parliament, or any sessional, select, or other committee of Parliament;

“contempt” includes any breach of privilege of Parliament and the commission of any offence mentioned in Part V;

“court” includes an Industrial Arbitration Court established, and any board of inquiry appointed, under the Industrial Relations Act (Cap. 136);

“journals” means the votes and proceedings of Parliament, the official reports or records of the proceedings thereof, and the minutes or records of the proceedings of any committee;

“Member” means a Member of Parliament and shall, where the context so admits, include the Speaker;

“officer of Parliament” means the Clerk or any Assistant Clerk of Parliament, the Serjeant-at-Arms and such other officers or persons as may be appointed to the staff of Parliament, and includes any person employed temporarily in Parliament and any police officer acting under the orders of the Speaker, the Clerk or the Serjeant-at-Arms;

“Parliament” includes a committee and, where the context so admits, Parliament House and the precincts thereof;

“police officer” has the same meaning as in the Police Force Act (Cap. 235);

“Speaker” means the Speaker and, in his absence, the Deputy Speaker of Parliament and includes any other Member when such other Member is presiding at a sitting of Parliament or a committee of the whole Parliament;

“Standing Orders” means the Standing Orders of Parliament for the time being in force;

“stranger” means any person who is not a Member or officer of Parliament.

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