POWERS AND PRIVILEGES OF PARLIAMENT 191
SECTION II
PRIVILEGES OF INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS
(1) Freedom from arrest. —This privilege guarantees freedom from arrest for members during the continuance of the session and 40 days before the commencement and after its conclusion. Originally this privilege was not only enjoyed by members but also extended to their servants and their estates. It is now restricted to members only and that too to their persons.
(2) Freedom of speech. —The statute of William and Mary S2 C2 enacts that members shall enjoy complete freedom of speech in Parliamentary debates and proceedings and that nothing said by them shall be questioned or impeached in any Court or place out of Parliament.
SECTION III
METHODS OF PUNISHING BREACHES OF PRIVILEGE
There are five different ways in which the House can punish persons who are guilty of a breach of privilege. In cases of breach of privilege which are not grave, the House may release a person arrested for breach of privilege on mere admonition if he is prepared to tender apology. Or secondly, may release him on a reprimand. In cases of a grave character, the House can commit him to prison or inflict a fine or expel him. It is obvious that the last form of punishment namely, expulsion, can apply only to members of parliament who are guilty of a breach of privilege.
SECTION IV
PRIVILEGES OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS
The privileges of the House of Lords are more or less the same as those of the Commons. It is, therefore, unnecessary to discuss them separately in detail. There is only one point of difference between the privileges of the Lords and the Commons which need to be mentioned and which relates to the source of their privileges. The privileges of the Commons are a gift from the