TNAG-1287-FCO40-1638-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1984 — Page 120

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CONFIDENTIAL

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Houses of

Parliament

in

Westminster.

The general

practice throughout what was the Empire was therefore to

enact legislation, usually an ordinance of the

legislature concerned, providing for such privileges and

powers.

3.

In Hong Kong the records show only one occasion

in the past on which this subject was raised for

consideration, in 1969, when the question was raised in

the Executive Council as to whether Hong Kong should

have such legislation. The then Attorney General was

asked to examine the issue, and he reported to the

Council on 7 April 1970 (memorandum XCR (70)109).

defined the main privileges enjoyed by Members

Parliament in Westminster as follows

-

He

of

(a) the privilege of statements made

in

debate

in

Parliament,

protecting

members from any

action in the courts

for

defamation arising out

of

anything said in debate;

(b) freedom from arrest,

providing

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