OpenLegislation

Article 4 Publication of statements under the authority of the Parliament

Changes not yet applied. Later legislation changes this provision in ways not yet written into the text below:

(1)

This article applies to any legal proceedings brought against a person for, on account of, or in respect of, the publication by that person–

(a)

of a statement under the authority of the Parliament; or

(b)

of a statement which has been published under the authority of the Parliament.

(2)

In any legal proceedings to which this article applies, any person may produce to the court before which the proceedings are brought a certificate, sworn by the Clerk of the Parliament before a notary public, that the statement was published under the authority of the Parliament.

(3)

On production of such a certificate the court shall order that, subject to paragraph (4), no further steps are to be taken in the proceedings and on the making of such an order the proceedings shall be treated as having been concluded.

(4)

On the making of an order under paragraph (3), the court may make such ancillary orders as it considers appropriate.

(5)

Any person intending to produce a certificate in accordance with paragraph (2) shall give at least 24 hours notice of his or her intention so to do to the other parties to the proceedings and to the court before which the proceedings are brought.