Parliamentary Privilege Act 1885

Parliamentary Privilege Act 1885

This Act may be cited as the Parliamentary Privilege Act 1885.

Each House of Parliament is hereby empowered to order the Controller of Prisons or any gaoler to cause any person under imprisonment for any cause to be brought up before the House or any committee of such House duly authorized by the House to send for persons and papers, in order to his being examined as a witness in any matter depending before such House or committee; and after his evidence has been given, such Controller of Prisons or gaoler shall cause such prisoner to be removed and again imprisoned.

Any such order to the Controller of Prisons or any gaoler under section two shall be notified to such Controller of Prisons or gaoler by a summons under the hand of the President or Speaker, as the case may be; and in any such summons shall be stated the name of the prisoner required to attend, and the time and place when and where such prisoner is to attend; and such summons shall be served on such Controller of Prisons or gaoler, either personally or by leaving the same with some person for him at his office.

The Controller of Prisons or any gaoler guilty of disobedience of any such order hereinbefore mentioned shall be liable to be punished in a summary manner, as for contempt, in the mode prescribed in the Principal Act, for the offences enumerated in section three thereof.