"precincts of the Chamber" means the Chamber and offices of the Council and any adjacent galleries and places provided for the use or accommodation of members of the public and representatives of the press, television and radio, and subject to any exceptions made by the President under subsection (2) includes, while the Council or a committee is sitting, the entire building in which the Chamber is situated and any forecourt, yard, garden, enclosure or open space adjoining or appertaining to such building and used or provided for the purposes of the Council;
"President" means the President of the Council, and includes any other member of the Council when presiding at a sitting of the Council;
"Standing Orders" means the Standing Orders of the Council for the time being in force.
(2) The President may, by notice published in the Gazette, order that any part of a building, forecourt, yard, garden, enclosure or open space referred to in the definition in subsection (1) of "precincts of the Chamber" shall be excluded from that definition, either generally or for a specific purpose and either temporarily or permanently.
PART II
Privileges and immunities
Freedom of speech and debate. 3. There shall be freedom of speech and debate in the Council or proceedings before a committee, and such freedom of speech and debate shall not be liable to be questioned in any court or place outside the Council.
Immunity from legal proceedings. 4. No civil or criminal proceedings shall be instituted against any member for words spoken before, or written in a report to the Council or a committee, or by reason of any matter brought by him therein by petition, Bill, resolution, motion or otherwise.
Freedom from arrest. 5. No member shall be liable to arrest—
- (a) for any civil debt (except a debt the contraction of which constitutes a criminal offence) whilst going to, attending at or returning from a sitting of the Council or a committee;
- (b) for any criminal offence whilst attending at a sitting of the Council or a committee.
Service of civil process and exemptions.
6. (1) No process issued by any court in Hong Kong or elsewhere in the exercise of its civil jurisdiction shall be served or executed within the precincts of the Chamber while the Council is sitting, nor shall any such process be served or executed through the President or any officer of the Council unless it relates to a person employed within the precincts of the Chamber.
