Witnesses and documents: general.

1 The Presiding Officer or such other person as may be authorised by standing orders may— a administer an oath to any person giving evidence in proceedings of the Parliament, and b require him to take the oath. 2 Any person who refuses to take an oath when required to do so under subsection (1)(b) is guilty of an offence. 3 Subsection (4) of section 25 applies to an offence under subsection (2) as it applies to an offence under that section. 4 Standing orders may provide for the payment of allowances and expenses to persons— a attending proceedings of the Parliament to give evidence, or b producing documents which they have been required or requested to produce, whether or not in pursuance of a notice under section 24(1). 5 For the purposes of sections 23 to 25 and this section, a person shall be taken to comply with a requirement to produce a document if he produces a copy of, or an extract of the relevant part of, the document.