Command paper facts for kids

A command paper is a special document from the UK Government that is officially given to the UK Parliament. These papers are called "command papers" because they are presented "By His Majesty's Command," meaning the King or Queen has formally ordered them to be shared with Parliament.

Command papers can be many different types of important documents. For example, they might be:

• White papers, which are firm plans for new laws.
• Green papers, which are ideas for new laws that the government wants to discuss.
• Treaties, which are agreements between countries.
• Official responses from the government to reports or suggestions.
• Drafts of new laws before they are fully written.
• Reports from special groups like Royal Commissions or independent investigations.

How Command Papers Are Shared

Command papers follow a clear process to make sure they are properly shared and recorded:

• They are created by different teams within the UK government.
• They are printed by a special office called His Majesty's Stationery Office.
• A government minister officially presents them to Parliament, following the King's command.
• Both parts of Parliament, the House of Commons and the House of Lords, keep official records of these papers.
• They are also published online on the official government website, gov.uk, so everyone can read them.
• Copies are also sent to special libraries as part of a rule called "statutory legal deposit," ensuring they are preserved for the future.

How Command Papers Are Numbered

To keep track of all these important documents, command papers are given a special number. Since 1870, these numbers have included a short code before them, which has changed over the years. This helps to organize them into different series.

See also

• Office of Public Sector Information (OPSI)
• Treaty series