{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/northern-ireland-act-1998/section-50",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/northern-ireland-act-1998/section-50.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1998/47",
  "legislation_title": "Northern Ireland Act 1998",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/northern-ireland-act-1998",
  "path": "section/50",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "50",
  "heading": "Privilege.",
  "text": "(1) For the purposes of the law of defamation, absolute privilege shall attach to—\n(a) the making of a statement in proceedings of the Assembly; and\n(b) the publication of a statement under the Assembly’s authority.\n(2) A person is not guilty of contempt of court under the strict liability rule as the publisher of any matter—\n(a) in the course of proceedings of the Assembly which relate to a Bill or subordinate legislation; or\n(b) to the extent that it consists of a fair and accurate report of such proceedings which is made in good faith.\n(3) In this section—\n“statement” has the same meaning as in the Defamation Act 1996;\n“the strict liability rule” has the same meaning as in the Contempt of Court Act 1981.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "M",
      "label": "M1",
      "text": "1996 c.31."
    },
    {
      "type": "M",
      "label": "M2",
      "text": "1981 c.49."
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/47/section/50",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T09:22:12.253813+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}