Master Treasurer: Sir George Newman
Under Treasurer: Air Commodore Peter Hilling
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 Government Publications and Statutory Material

Westminster

Parliamentary Papers

The Library holds various back runs of these from 1803 to 1981 which will be found in the reserve store, not in the main collection. We have a typescript numerical checklist of 19th Century Papers which will be found at the Enquiry Area. Indexes to Parliamentary Papers from 1803 to 1949 will also be found in the reserve store. The List of Parliamentary Papers 1836 to 1946 and the List of Government Publications 1947 onwards at the Enquiry Area, bring the indexes up to date.

Parliamentary Papers encompass the following classes:-

  1. House of Lords Papers

    1862 to 1980 will be found in the reserve store. Coverage includes reports from the Select Committees of the House of Lords, Acts of Parliament and Bills.

  2. House of Lords Bills

    Material dated from 1862 to the last Parliamentary Session will be found in the reserve store (as part of the House of Lords Papers). The Current Parliamentary Session is held in the main library. Explanatory notes to the Bills are held from the current session. Bills are also listed in the annual List of Government Publications held at the Enquiry Desk

  3. House of Commons Papers

    Material dated from 1862 to 1981 will be found in the reserve store. Stock includes reports from the select committees of the house of commons; annual reports and accounts; supply estimates; reports of government departments and commissions.

  4. House of Commons Bills

    Material dating from 1919 will be found in the reserve store. The Current Parliamentary Session is held in the main library. Explanatory notes to the Bills are held from the current session. Bills are also listed in the annual List of Government Publications which can be found at the Enquiry Desk.

    A Government Bill, when laid before Parliament, will embody the policy of the administration, and may also have been preceded by a Green Paper or a White Paper on its subject. Green Papers are issued by the Government as a consultative or discussion paper and invite comments from the public. White Papers are issued by the Government as statements of policy. They are not for consultation or discussion (although they might invite comment) but usually outline proposals for changes in legislation for debate before the introduction of a Bill. Progress of a Bill through Parliament can be followed in the House of Commons Weekly Information Bulletin.

  5. Command Papers

    Material dated from 1861 to 1986 will be found in the reserve store. Command Papers from 1986 to date are held in the main library. There are now five series of Command Papers cited as:

    • C. (1870-1899)
    • Cd. (1900-1918)
    • Cmd. (1919-1955/56)
    • Cmnd. (1956-1986)
    • Cm (1986- )
    Command Papers, thus named because they are presented to Parliament by command of His or Her Majesty, are used by the Government as a means to convey information to both Houses. Command Papers include:
    • State Papers
    • White Papers
      All white papers since 2002 held by the Library now appear on the catalogue
    • A limited number of Green Papers
    • Reports of some major Committees, Commissions and non-Parliamentary bodies
    • Government replies to Select Committee Reports
    • Reports of Royal Commissions
    • Annual Reports of certain bodies
    Command Papers are listed in the annual List of Government Publications, which can be found at the Enquiry Desk.

  6. Parliamentary Debates

    Parliamentary debates for the Commons will be found in the reserve store in two sequences - 1660-1743 and 1803-1980. Those dated from 1980 onwards will be found in the main library. Parliamentary debates for the Lords will be found in the reserve store in two sequences 1660-1743 and 1803-1908. Those dated from 1909 onwards will be found in the main library. Hansard is published in daily, weekly and fortnightly editions. The library receives the weekly issue but keeps as its archive the bound volumes (green for Commons and red for the Lords) which incorporate any corrections made. Each volume has an alphabetical index and the last volume in the session has a sessional index, covering all debates, motions and questions recorded and also the names (in italics) of all Members contributing to Parliamentary business.

    The official report of the House of Commons or Lords (known as Hansard since 1811 when Thomas Hansard bought the publishing rights) is a full report (though not verbatim) of the proceedings of the Houses, recorded by reporters using either written shorthand, stenograph machines or tape recorders. Transcripts of proceedings are produced at Westminster and sent via the Stationery Office who produces the printed version available the following morning.

  7. Statutes

    The library holds Public General Acts 1688-1918 which can be found in the reserve store of the library. Statutes of the Realm 1235-1713 are held in the main library as are Statutes Revised 1235-1948, Statutes at Large 1235-1869 and also Public General Acts 1870 to date. The Index to the Statutes 1235-1990 in subject order is held in the main library, as is the Chronological Table of the Statutes 1235-1999. Each annual volume of Public General Acts has an index in alphabetical and chronological order. The library also holds Explanatory notes to the Acts from 1999. The library's on-line databases also give access to the full text of Public General Acts. Public General Acts from 1999 with written explanatory notes can be found on the Stationery Office Website at www.hmso.gov.uk.

  8. Halsbury's Statutes

    Halsbury's Statutes provide a comprehensive annotated record of all Acts of Parliament currently in force by subject. There is a consolidated index to the set; a cumulative supplement explaining the effects of all new Acts, Statutory Instruments and case law; and a loose-leaf service which updates material until new volumes are issued.

  9. Current Law Statutes Annotated

    The library holds from 1948 to date and the collection provides a means of monitoring legislative change in the UK by way of tables of statutes, details of white and green papers, progress of Bills table, lists of Statutory Instruments and Commencement Orders and references to Hansard. It is annotated by experts offering analytical commentary on the legislation. An updating service for material has not yet superseded bound volumes.

  10. Butterworths Annotated Legislation

    This is an authoritative guide to Acts including full text of the Act, annotations, narrative overview and informative explanatory notes written by experts in the relevant field.

  11. Local Personal and Private Acts

    Local and Personal Acts dated 1801-1849 will be found in the reserve store and 1850 onwards in the main library. Private Acts dated 1800-1877 will also be found there. A two volume index to Local, Personal and Private Acts 1798-1899 is also held. An alphabetical Index to Local and Personal Acts 1850-1995 is held in the main library.
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