(5) Every warrant and every endorsement on such warrant purporting to bear the signature of the Clerk under this section shall be deemed, unless the contrary is proved, to have been issued or made under the direction or order of the President under this section.
(6) The Governor may, by order in the Gazette, prescribe a form of warrant for the purposes of this section.
Objection to answer question or produce papers. 13. (1) Subject to section 14, where any person lawfully ordered to attend to give evidence or to produce any paper, book, record or document before the Council refuses to answer any question that may be put to him or to produce any such paper, book, record or document on the ground that the same is of a private nature and does not affect the subject of inquiry, the President may (and shall if such question or the production of such paper, book, record or document is not relevant) excuse the answering of such question or the production of such paper, book, record or document, or may order the answering or production thereof.
(2) Subject to section 14, where any person lawfully ordered to attend to give evidence or to produce any paper, book, record or document before any committee refuses to answer any question that may be put to him or to produce any such paper, book, record or document on the ground that the same is of a private nature and does not affect the subject of inquiry, the chairman of the committee may report such refusal to the President with the reasons therefor; and the President may (and shall if such question or the production of such paper, book, record or document is not relevant) thereupon excuse the answering of such question or the production of such paper, book, record or document or may order the answering or production thereof.
Privileges of witnesses. 14. (1) Every person lawfully ordered to attend to give evidence or to produce any paper, book, record or document before the Council or a committee shall, subject to section 16, be entitled, in respect of such evidence or the disclosure of any communication or the production of any such paper, book, record or document, to the same right or privilege as before a court of law.
(2) No person, other than a public officer acting with the consent of the Governor, shall before the Council or a committee—
- (a) give any evidence; or
- (b) produce any paper, book, record or document,
relating to the correspondence concerning—
- (i) any naval, military or air force matter or of any other matter relating to the security of Hong Kong, or
- (ii) the responsibilities of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom otherwise than with respect to the administration of Hong Kong by its Government,
