Parliamentary privilege can be defined as the –

<em>“Sum of certain rights enjoyed by each House collectively as a constituent part of the High Court of Parliament; and by Members of each House individually, without which they could not discharge their functions, and which exceed those possessed by other bodies or individuals. Some privileges rest solely on the law and custom of Parliament, while others have been defined by statute … The Speaker has ruled that parliamentary privilege is absolute.” (Erskine May, 24th ed., p.203)</em>

A key aspect of privilege is freedom of speech, i.e. that participants in Parliamentary proceedings cannot be sued or charged with a criminal offence as a result of what they ‘say’ during these proceedings, as established by Article 9 of the Bill of Rights 1689 –

<em>“… the freedom of speech and debates or proceedings in Parliament ought not to be impeached or questioned in any court or place out of Parliament."</em>

The aim of privilege is not to grant impunity, but, instead, to ensure that Parliament can function independently of external control.