Professional statute overview
Enactment structure, operative effect and source provenance
01
Purpose and legislative effect
“This section gives the Act its short title: the National Assembly (Powers and Privileges) Act.”
This section gives the Act its short title: the National Assembly (Powers and Privileges) Act. This section defines key terms used in the Act. Members are immune from civil or criminal proceedings for words spoken in the Assembly or a committee, written reports to them, and related petitions, Bills, motions, or similar matters. Assembly members are exempt from arrest in the stated situations, except for criminal offences in the Assembly precincts without the Speaker’s consent. Courts must not serve or execute process within the Assembly precincts while the Assembly is sitting, or through the Speaker, Clerk, or any Assembly officer.
02
How the instrument operates
- 01
Start with the recorded version
Enacted 1957 · Source version 31 Dec 2014. The date shown identifies this source expression and should not be treated as proof that no later change exists.
- 02
Locate the controlling provision
Use the provision map, part headings and full-text filter to move from the broad subject to the exact legal language.
- 03
Read conditions and exceptions together
Keep subsections, definitions, provisos and cross-references in context before drawing a legal conclusion.
- 04
Verify currency and official wording
Confirm later legislation, commencement notices and corrections with the official publisher before advice, filing or reliance.
03
Research entry points
Selected provisions across the instrument. Open any row to continue with the exact stored text.
This section gives the Act its short title: the National Assembly (Powers and Privileges) Act.
Section 1
The Assembly or a committee may order a person to appear and give evidence or produce papers, books, records, or documents, subject to sections 14 and 16.
Section 9
Questions about evidence or document production in the Assembly or a committee are to be decided according to the usage and practice of the UK House of Commons, unless the Act already makes an express rule.
Section 16
A defendant in proceedings about an Assembly-authorized publication may ask the court to stop the case by giving 24 hours' written notice and filing a Speaker’s certificate with an affidavit.
Section 24
The President may make Rules about anything this Act says may be prescribed.
Section 31
04
Source and current-law status
Source record view
Source record from malawilii.org · Enacted 1957 · Source version 31 Dec 2014
The source record does not state a definitive current-law status. Check the official publisher and later amendments before relying on this text.