British Parliamentary Papers 

Introduction 

This guide is meant for those beginning research in British Parliamentary Papers. It focuses on Alderman Library's 19th and 20th century holdings and lists indexes and finding aids for each of the three categories listed below. Sections are taken from guides by Bryson Clevenger, Alderman Library Reference, Andrew Lee at Bobst Library, NYU, and the library at the University of Indiana at Bloomington.  See also note on Parliamentary papers from the British Parliament.

The British Parliament web site provides an overview of the Records of the House of Lords and House of Commons, plus a factsheet on the history of the official record of Parliament. See also links to selected digitised historical Parliamentary material. 

See also a list of selected British documents in microform available at Alderman Library.
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Parliamentary Papers can be divided into three main groups 

• Sessional (or Parliamentary) papers are the working documents of each session of Parliament and can be divided into three types: Bills, Reports and Command Papers.
• Journals record the proceedings and decisions made in each house. Journals have been printed for each session of Parliament since 1509 for the Lords (preceded by the Rolls of Parliament) and since 1547 for the Commons (except for the period 1584-1601).
• Debates are the record of the actual discussion on the floors of both houses.

(See also information about the publishing arrangement of the Parliamentary Papers)

Indexes and finding aids are also listed in the individual sections of this guide. 

• A Guide to Parliamentary Papers; what they are, how to find them, how to use them by Percy Ford.
  Call Number Z2009 .A1 F6 1972. Copies in Alderman Reference, Alderman Stacks,and Law Library. 
  
  
• Serial publications in the British Parliamentary papers, 1900-1968; a bibliography
  
  
  
• Subject Catalogue of the House of Commons Parliamentary Papers 1801-1900 (5v)
  Call Number Z2019.C63 1988, Alderman Reference
  
  Covers all papers printed in the House of Commons bound set, by subject.  For example, Defence, The Slave Trade, and Foreign Affairs are three of the subjects covered in volume V. A keyword index is provided at back of each volume.