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British Government Publications form an increasingly important body of literature on all subjects from the points of view of the law, government policy, information and advice. The Library has a large, although not complete, collection of these documents. It is therefore vital that those who use them know what the Library possesses, where they are and how to use them.
In common with all information the need to transcribe references fully and accurately cannot be emphasised enough. Always note as much detail as you are presented with and the source from which it came. Particularly ensure that any numbers, codes or dates are noted as they alone will often be sufficient to identify the type of document you are dealing with and possibly its location in the Library. Any difficulty in this area can usually be resolved in consultation with Enquiry Desk Staff.
It is usual to consider British Government Publications as falling into two main groups. These are described as Parliamentary Publications and Non-Parliamentary Publications. The first type, often referred to as Parliamentary Papers, are those required by Parliament in the daily conduct of its business. They include such items as Bills, reports of debates, Acts of Parliament and reports of Royal Commissions or Select Committees. Increasingly these "Parliamentary" papers are of use outwith Parliament. Green Papers (government consultative documents) for example, and annual reports from some government departments, are published as House of Commons papers. Non-Parliamentary publications are produced by government departments for use outside the parliamentary context a well as within it. Examples of these include statistical compilations, guides to aspects of life in Britain and reports on research in particular fields of study.
In the sections which follow only those groups of Parliamentary and Non-Parliamentary publications represented in the Library are covered. The only major exceptions are the Census reports, many of which the Library holds, and for which the Office of Population Censuse and Surveys issues its own guide.
These papers relate to the day to day business of the House of Commons and are divided into three groups.
A Bill is the draft of a proposed Act of Parliament. It may be revised several times during the legislative process so that more than one version, each with its own number, may be found in the Parliamentary Papers. Only those Bills which are granted a First Reading by the House of Commons are printed for general distribution. At its Second Reading a Bill is fully discussed in principle and, if passed by the House of Commons, is sent to a Standing Committee for detailed examination.
At this, the Committee Stage, amendments may be inserted by the committee throughout the Bill which then become integral to it and subject to debate by the Commons at the next stage. Some Bills receive their Committee Stage in the Commons - on the floor of the House, as this is known - and in such cases are said to have been before a Committee of the Whole House. This only happens nowadays for very major legislation. (See Section (b) page 7 for Standing Committees)
The Report Stage follows when the House of Commons considers the Bill as amended in Committee. Finally the Bill is given a Third Reading which is the last Commons debate and vote. Should the Bill pass through the Commons stages successfully, it is sent ot the House of Lords where it goes through the same process, except that the Committee Stage is usually taken on the floor of the House. Any amendments made by the Lords are then reconsidered by the Commons. In practice the government of the day accepts a very high proportion of Lords amendments but, in the event of disagreement, the disputed clauses, with the Commons' comments and possibly their amendments to the Lords' amendments, go back to the Lords. If the upper house still disagrees the Bill goes back to the Commons with their Lordships' comments. After that, if the Commons stick to their points, the Lords traditionally withdraws its objections. In effect, therefor, the lower house has the final say. In the very rare event of the Lords still rejecting the Bill the Parliament Acts of 1911 and 1949 may be invoked. These provide for a Bill being presented to the sovereign for the Royal Assent without the endorsement of the House of Lords.
Given the successful completion of its Parliamentary processing a Bill will receive the Royal Assent and become an Act of Parliament, part of the law of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland or one of its four constituent parts, e.g. the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 only applied to Scotland.
(i) Sessions 1983/84 to date (Microfiche edition published in arrears)
The quickest way to find a Bill, and the only easy way to find a recent Bill, is to obtain a full citation or reference. This comprises of three parts:- (1) the name of the House of Parliament the Bill was first presented to, (2) the dates of the Parliamentary Session concerned and (3) the Bill's sessional number which is allocated to it from a sequence beginning with 1 each session. Commons Bill numbers appear in square brackets [ ] and Lords Bill numbers in round brackets ( ). A Bill introduced in the Commons may be quoted thus:-
H.C.Bill 1966/67 [21] or [21] 1966/67
Having got your reference you need to know that Bills from Session 1983/84 onwards, in microfiche form, are filed in sessional number order in fiche cabinets shelved on the ground floor. Fiche viewers are provided near the cabinets.
(ii) Sessions 1979/80 to 1982/83 (Printed edition)
During this period the Bills are arranged by sessional number order in the first few volumes of each set of Sessional Papers. There are no contents lists and access is by bill number or through the alphabetical subject index to the set which gives volume number only. These volumes are shelved on the ground floor.
(iii) Sessions 1962/63 to 1978/79 (Printed edition)
In these volumes the Bills also form the first few volumes of each sessional set but are arranged alphabetically by their titles with a contents list at the front of each volume. These volumes are shelved on the ground floor.
The Sessional Index is published as the last House of Commons Paper of the session. It is normally two years in arrears so that until it is available access must be by another route. The Daily Lists, Monthly Catalogues and Annual Catalogues of Government Publications can be used and these are covered elsewhere in this guide. As to the Sessional Index itself, it is to be found in the final volume of each printed set and as the final microfiche in the House of Commons Papers sets. Bills are listed both numerically and under relevant subject headings in the general index with volume and page numbers in each case. (See the note on the use of the Sessional Papers volumes on page 6). Use the subject index to find a Bill on a particular topic if you do not know its title, or if you are looking for an example of a type of Bill. In the set covering 1962/63 to 1978/79 you can look a Bill up directly in the early volumes of the set if you know its title.
When passed into law as Acts the texts are re-published in the Public General Acts which can be found on the ground floor of the Main Library and in the Law Library. (See section (e) page 8 for Acts)
To discover how many Bills were dealt with, which were passed or dropped etc. in a particular session of Parliament, you should consult the Return of Public Bills. This is a House of Commons Paper issued every session covering the previous session. For the position in the current session see the summary in the House of Commons Weekly Information Bulletin. The Sessional Index also gives details about Bills which were not printed and other related matters. (See section 2(b) page 9 for House of Commons Weekly Information Bulletin)
The Library still buys printed copies of Bills of particular importance or interest and these are placed in the bookstock so that they may be borrowed. They are entered in the catalogue under their titles (Exact Title Search).
These documents result from the House of Commons requiring reports, returns or other information from ministers, committees or other agencies from whom the House has the right to demand such material. There are four main types of paper:- (1) "returns" from government departments of statistics or general information, (2) "Act Papers" comprising reports or accounts required to be laid before Parliament under the provisions of certain Acts, (3) reports from Select Committees of the House of Commons appointed to investigate specific matters and (4) "Minutes of Proceedings" of Standing Committees which have examined Bills. (See section (b) page 7 for Standing Committees)
(i) Sessions 1983/84 to date (Microfiche edition published in arrears)
As with Bills, House of Commons Papers (H.C.Papers) are numbered from 1 each session so it is important to note the session as well as the paper number if shown in your source of reference. A full citation for an H.C.Paper would appear thus:-
1966/67 H.C. 201 or [H.C.201] 1966/67
If brackets appear they should be square since, as with Bills, the Lords Papers are shown in round ones. (See section (d) page 6 for House of Lords Papers) Some H.C.Papers have many parts which are indicated by Roman numerals after the main number e.g. [H.C.133 - iv] 1971/72.
The microfiche are filed in numerical order by sessions from 1983/84 in cabinets on the ground floor. Viewers are situated nearby.
(ii) Sessions 1979/80 to 1982/83 (Printed edition)
During this period H.C.Papers are arranged by sessional number in the volumes following those containing the Bills. The volumes have no contents lists so that access is by paper number or through the alphabetcial subject index at the end of the sessional set which gives volume numbers only.
(iii) Sessions 1962/63 to 1978/79 (Printed edition)
When bound into sessional sets during this period the H.C.Papers appear in a classified order inter-filed with Command Papers. (See section (c) on this page for Command Papers) The order was determined by Her Majesty's Stationery Office (now known simply as The Stationery Office since it became an agency) who supplied the contents lists and index. Each volume has its own contents lists at the front and in the Sessional Index the papers are listed numerically and under relevant subject headings showing volume and page numbers. (See note on the use of Sessional Papers volumes on page 6)
These papers do not originate in Parliament but with ministers who use the technical device of presenting them to Parliament "by command" of the sovereign to introduce them. The monarch is not involved at all nowadays but these items have become known as Command Papers.
Ministers may decide that certain reports or investigations outwith Parliament are so important that the Lords and Commons should see them and therefore designate them as Command Papers. Sometimes new government policies are introduced in this manner, often called "white papers", and consultative documents for general discussion and reaction called "green papers" may be similarly treated. The latter type became known by this name because a particularly important example was issued quite by chance in a green cover. Subsequently that colour has often been used for the covers of these documents.
Location of a Command Paper in the fiche cabinets on the ground floor, or of an older one in a bound set of Sessional Papers on the ground floor, is the simplest exercise of the three Sessional Paper types, given an accurate reference. Unlike Bills and H.C.Papers, Command Papers are not numbered from 1 each session. They are given a number from a series running for many years at a time. The present series of numbers bears the prefix Cm. (an abbreviation of Command) so that a current number appears thus:-
Cm. 510
Knowing the session of issue is therefore not strictly necessary to find a Command Paper although it does cut down the searching time.
Should you wish to find an earlier Command Paper it is important to note the changing prefix and ensure you have the correct one. This avoids wasting time looking in the wrong series, especially if you do not know the year of issue. The full list of numbered series of Command Papers is as follows:-
(NB Command Papers issued through the former Parliament of Northern Ireland were all prefixed Cmnd.)
Command Papers issued prior to 1833, that is from the 18th century, were not numbered and were not printed as part of the Sessional Papers. Some were printed as appendices to the Journals of the House of Commons (See section (d), page 8 for the Journals) and the others were issued separately. The microcard set held on the first floor contains these and any enquiry should be made to the Enquiry Desk Staff.
In the bound sets of Parliamentary Papers for sessions 1962/63 to 1978/79 the Command Papers are interfiled with House of Commons Papers in a classified order following the volumes of Bills. Each volume has a contents list at the front and in the Sessional Index the Command Papers are listed numerically and under relevant subject headings. For sessions 1979/80 to 1982/83 Command Papers appear in numerical order in the final volumes of each set. There are no contents lists and access is by command number or through the alphabetical subject index to the set. From session 1983/84 onwards the fiche are filed by session in command number order.
It is fairly common for the Library to buy printed copies of Command Papers for the book stock. These may be of particular relevance to courses or of such importance generally that it is necessary to provide several copies for borrowing. Royal Commission Reports for example, although mostly historical now since none have appeared recently, or other investigations, may contain recommendations which professionals in the field require to evaluate quickly. These extra copies are not filed as a collection but at the appropriate place in the book sequence. Pre-1977 Command Papers are entered in the card catalogue under the name of the issuing body, chairman and by command number under the heading Command Papers. In the computer catalogue entry is similarly under issuing body and chairman (Name Search) and command Number (Series Title Search using Command abbreviation and number) but also under title (Exact Title Search).
The first few volumes of each set contain the Bills in alphabetical order of titles. Each volume of Bills has a contents list at the front. In the final volume of each set - the Sessional Index - Bills are listed both numerically and under relevant subject headings with volume and page numbers.
House of Commons and Command Papers are bound together in the remaining volumes in a classified sequence regardless of paper number or title except that parts of one paper are filed together in order. This correlates papers on the same topic issued at different times during the session. These volumes also have contents lists and the papers are listed in sessional and command number order and under relevant subject headings in the Sessional Index.
When using these volumes you must remember that original documents, all bearing their own page numbers starting at 1, have been bound together. This means that page numbers in the volumes, as given in their contents lists and Sessional Index, are only a guide to locating single papers since the volume pages numbers are not superimposed on the documents. When you have established the volume required and found it, consult the contents list at the front. Look down the list of paper numbers at the left hand side to see where the item you want is and open the volume roughly at that point e.g. half way through. Find the title page of the paper you happen to be at and note its number from the bottem left hand corner. Don't lose your place while you refer back to the contents list to see whether you should move forwards or backwards in the volume to get to the item you want.
Lastly in the set comes the Sessional Index volume. This lists all three types of paper in sessional and command number order and then under alphabetically arranged subject headings. Both listings give volume and page numbers.
Arrangement during these years is by sessional number. Bills form the first few volumes as before, followed by House of Commons Papers and lastly Command Papers. There are no contents lists but access is greatly simplified once the sessional or command number is known. The index volume has a list showing the distribution of papers in the volumes and an alphabetical subject index giving volume number. Lists of unprinted Bills etc. also appear which make the index more useful than during the earlier period.
Beginning with session 1984/85 the Library has both these series which were added to the microfilm set of Commons Papers. Their organisation is identical to the Commons fiche being arranged in paper number order. Prior to that session the Library only purchased individual items which were added to the book stock.
These volumes contain reports of the debates which take place in Parliament. Since the reporters who note down the proceedings are allowed to correct grammar and insert proper forms of address of Members of either House, the printed version is not, strictly speaking, verbatim. It is, however, an extremely accurate record in which the sense of what was said is preserved. As a further guarantee of exactitude, Members are allowed to suggest amendments to the daily Hansard so that the final version is correct. The Library only takes the final version.
The name "Hansard" dates from 1829 and commemorates Thomas Curson Hansard who took over production of the reports in 1811. As you can see from the holdings list at the back of this booklet there were earlier personalities involved but it was Hansard's name which chanced to be perpetuated. As mentioned above, Hansard is compiled and published first on a daily basis followed by revision and re-publication in units covering one week at a time. These weekly paper-bound parts have a contents list at the end of each daily section but no speaker or subject index so that to use them effectively you need to know the subject of the required debate and, ideally, the date it took place. The Lords Hansard does have indices covering about a fortnight published in arrears but, to use it currently, you need to know the dates and subjects of the debates. Until replaced by the microfiche editions, both Commons and Lords weekly parts remain in Current Periodicals on the ground floor of the Main Library.
Prior to session 1984/85, when the microfiche edition takes over, our permanent set of Commons Hansard was received in bound volumes covering about two weeks at a time, each having a speaker and subject index with references to column (not page) numbers. Each session had a cumulative index at the end of the set usually clearly marked General or Sessional Index on the spine. Lords Hansard was taken in monthly volumes with indices and cumulative indices published twice a year
From 1984/85 session the Library's Lords and Commons Hansard is in microfiche form but the indexing remains the same since the fiche are simply photographic reproductions of the volumes described above. In both printed and fiche formats Hansard is prefaced by a clear explanation of the conventions used and it is wise to consult this before using the sets. Be careful to note that column reference numbers in italics in the indices refer to written Parliamentary answers printed in a separate section at the end of each volume or part. The volumes are numbered sequentially without regard to Parliamentary sessions.
These are verbatim reports of the debates held in Standing Committees which consider Bills following their second reading in the House of Commons. The reports are filed by committee in chronological order in pamphlet boxes on the ground floor of the Main Library.
To find a particular report it is necessary to establish which committee (A, B, C, etc) considered the Bill in question and in which session. This may be done by consulting the House of Commons Weekly Information Bulletin or the monthly or annual catalogues of government publications.
Select Committees are advisory committees appointed to conduct detailed investigations, hear evidence and report to the relevant House. Their minutes of evidence, reports and minutes of proceedings all appear in the House of Commons or House of Lords Papers. The Library, therefor, has a complete set of Commons Select Committee Papers and of House of Lords Papers from session 1984/85. (See sections (b) page 3 and (d) page 6 for H.C. and H.L.Papers)
These annual volumes constitute the official record of the business conducted in Parliament. They show, for instance, when the House was sitting, who was in the Speaker's chair and what business was transacted, but do not detail what was said about it. This is found in the Parliamentary Debates or Hansard. From session 1983/84 onwards our set of Journals is on microfiche in the cabinets on the ground floor of Main Library.
When laws are made by Parliament it is often impractical to include sufficient detail to cover every possible application of the legislation. It is customary to empower another authority, usually the relevant government minister, to issue rules and regulations as required in the future. Acts specify the extent to which ministers may make regulations, which are known as Statutory Instruments (S.I.s), and which have the force of law.
Our collection of S.I.s is held in the Law Library and is complete from 1964. To quote one correctly you should use the form S.I. Year/Number e.g. S.I. 1972/63, since a new series of numbers from 1 is begun each year. Bound volumes contain the set for each year in numerical order. It should be noted that gaps in this sequence occur where any S.I. in force for a short period only is not printed if it lapsed before the end of its year of issue. An introduction and numerical contents list appear at the front of the first volume of the set and a subject index at the back of the last.
Issued weekly while Parliament is sitting, this Bulletin contains information on the work of the House during the preceding week and a calendar for the following week. In addition it includes a complete list of all Public Bills introduced in both Houses of Parliament in the current session; a listing of Private Bills and proceedings thereon; progress of Bills during the previous week; Select Committee publications; White and Green Papers received during the previous week; details of by-elections and new M.P.s since the last General Election; state of the political parties in the Commons and a useful Parliamentary glossary. From the session beginning in November 1981 lists of M.P.s, Select Committee membership, ministers and opposition spokesmen only appear once each session in the first issue. Amendments to these lists will, however, continue to be printed in the subsequent weekly parts. The Bulletin is held on the ground floor of the Main Library.
This Stationery Office publication lists Parliamentary and Non- Parliamentary publications grouped by type and sub- arranged numerically. It also covers items sold but not published by Stationery Office e.g. European Union documents. The Statutory Instruments issued on any particluar day are included on a separate sheet.
The Stationery Office Monthly Catalogue lists Parliamentary and Non- Parliamentary publications alphabetically and numerically under headings for the responsible issuing authority. Each monthly catalogue has a cumultative index covering the year's issues to that point, showing the running page number in the parts, which are paginated sequentially from January to December.
Cumulated from the Monthly Catalogues this has the same format of listings under issuing authority arranged alphabetically and numerically. The cumulated index for the year appears at the back. There is usually a long delay before it is published, often months into the following year, so that the Monthly Catalogue is kept to cover this period. (Main Library reference sequence and Enquiry Desk)
Usually a month or so late, this is intended to cumulate into an annual list. The Law Library has our set from 1983 onwards but there are gaps caused by its occasional non- appearance or non-supply. Realistically, to find current S.I.s you should consult the Daily List.
A subject headed list of Statutory Instruments etc. with references to the relevant legislation up to a date about a year before publication. (Law Library Level 2c with pre- current issue in the Main Library reference sequence at R 346)
A subject headed listing of the Acts of the Parliaments of Scotland, England, Great Britain and the United Kingdom from 1235 to a date which may be several years prior to publication. (Law Library and Main Library reference sequence)
This lists the Acts of the Parliaments of Scotland, England, Great Britain and the United Kingdom in chronological (date) order from 1235 to a date about a year prior to publication. Within each year Acts are listed in Chapter Number order with information about amendments and repeals. (Law Library level 2n and Main Library reference sequence)
A continuously updated loose-leaf edition of the Statues in subject groupings held in the Law Library.
A chronological list of Statutory Instruments from 1671 showing whether they were still in force, spent or amended at a date about one year before publication. (Law Library with pre-current in Main Library reference sequence)
Listings of Stationery Office items in print mostly dealing with single government departments or subject areas and normally confined to non-parliamentary titles. (Main Library reference sequence R 015.42)
Strictly speaking this catalogue doesn't belong here since it lists documents which are mostly not government publications. They are the official publications of other organisations, such as the United Nations, the European Union or the International Monetary Fund which are sold in the U.K. through the Stationery Office network of shops. The first appearance of most of these items is in the Daily List (see (a) above) so we should include the final annual Stationery Office listing here.
1 Until 1980 there was no serious attempt at a bibliography of non-Stationery Office official publications. In that year, however, the publisher Chadwyck-Healey launched their Catalogue of British Official Publications Not Published by the Stationery Office. The Library took this annual listing until 1989 when the same publisher initiated their electronic service UKOP (United Kingdom Official Publications). The catalogue arranges entries alphabetically under issuing bodies which are themselves in alphabetical order, except in those cases where they are entered under their parent body. There are several indexes giving access to the entries and it is necessary to use these to be sure of finding the section required. They are shelved at R 015.2 in the Main Library.
In addition to the Chadwyck-Healey publications there are a number of departmental listings which may solve some difficulties and guidance on which source to use can be obtained from the enquiry desk. As always with government publications the need to take careful note of every detail of a reference cannot be over emphasised, especially with items which may be out of the mainstream of official publishing.
This commercially published edition of the Statutes, issued first in paper-covered parts, contains chronological and alphabetical lists of the year's statutes and a Statute Citator which, in one chronological sequence, lists (i) statutes passed; (ii) statutory instruments issued; ( iii) cases on the construction of statutes; and (iv) statutes amended, repealed etc.. The index and the citator relates to Acts of the current year printed in the annotated section in Chapter number order. The texts of the Acts are printed there in full with commentaries throughout by independent lawyers. These annotations, as they are known, are printed in a smaller type face to assist the reader in distinguishing them from the legislation itself. When cumulated and bound certain of our volumes carry the spine title Scottish Current Law Statutes as they are published in Edinburgh. Sets are shelved at Per 346.1 in the Main Library (the ground floor) and in more than one location in the Law Library.
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