These books provide the session, volume, and starting page for each Command paper number within the given time period. For other time periods, use the electronic or print indexes listed in General Indexes, below. A summary of how bills pass through Parliament can be found at the House of Lords web site. Bills may be located within the sessional papers, and typically fall first in the arrangement of papers within each session. For a basic explanation of Parliament's various committees, see The Committee System of the House of Commons .
Select committees have a more investigative function.
Typically, they are appointed for an entire session, inquire into a given subject, and report on their findings. Commons and Lords Select Committees may join to form a Joint Committee . The dates covered are underscored for easy reference. Ford, G. Select List of Reports and Other Papers in Journals of the House of Commons 1688-1800 . Hansard's Catalogue and Breviate of Parliamentary Papers, 1696-1834 .