UK Government sources (OSCOLA5)

There are three Hansard series: 

• Debates in the House of Commons ( abbreviated to HC Deb).
• Debates in the House of Lords (abbreviated to HL Deb).
• Public Bill committee debates of the House of Commons. 

Debates in the House of Commons or House of Lords

Footnote 

ⁿ HC/HL Deb Day Month Year, vol number, column numbers.

³ HC Deb 3 February 1977, vol 389, cols 973–76.

Bibliography

Each reference should start with a bullet point. No full stop is needed at the end of the reference.

HC/HL Deb Day Month Year, vol number, column numbers

HC Deb 3 February 1977, vol 389, cols 973–76

Public Bill committee debates

Footnote

ⁿ Title of Bill Deb Day Month Year, column numbers.

⁶ Health Bill Deb 30 January 2007, cols 12–15.

Bibliography

Each reference should start with a bullet point. No full stop is needed at the end of the reference.

Title of Bill Deb Day Month Year, vol number, column numbers

Health Bill Deb 30 January 2007, cols 12–15

• Command paper numbers are generally found in the lower left corner of the page with the royal seal.
• Even f you see an ISBN number on the paper, still treat it as a command paper.
• If any additional information is required (such as the fact it is a White Paper), include it in the round brackets before the series abbreviation and year.

• Command paper series abbreviations vary by date:

1833 - 1869: (C (1st series))

1870 - 1899: (C (2nd series))

1900 - 1918: (Cd)

1919 - 1956: (Cmd)

1957 - 1986: (Cmnd)

1986 - 2018: (Cm)

2019 - present: (CP)

Footnote 

ⁿ Department, Title (Command paper series abbreviation and number, Year) pinpoint if required.

¹ Department for Culture, Media and Sport, UK Government Response to the Report by the UK Commission on Covid Commemoration (CP 1425, 2025) 27.

² Department for International Development, Eliminating World Poverty: Building Our Common Future (White Paper, Cm 7656, 2009) ch 5.

³ Jonathan Fisher, Fraud in the Digital Age: Independent Review of Disclosure and Fraud Offences (CP 1600, 2026) para 278.

⁴ Home Office, Report of the Committee on Obscenity and Film Censorship (Cmnd 7772, 1979) para 2.11.

⁵ Royal Commission on Capital Punishment, 1949-1953: Report (Cmd 8932, 1953) para 216.

Bibliography

Each reference should start with a bullet point. No full stop is needed at the end of the reference.

Department, Title (Command paper series abbreviation and number, Year)

Department for Culture, Media and Sport, UK Government Response to the Report by the UK Commission on Covid Commemoration (CP 1425, 2025)

Department for International Development, Eliminating World Poverty: Building Our Common Future (White Paper, Cm 7656, 2009)

Fisher J, Fraud in the Digital Age: Independent Review of Disclosure and Fraud Offences (CP 1600, 2026)

Home Office, Report of the Committee on Obscenity and Film Censorship (Cmnd 7772, 1979)

Royal Commission on Capital Punishment, 1949-1953: Report (Cmd 8932, 1953)

• Committee reports can come from select committees of either House, or from joint committees of both Houses.
• For reports of joint committees, cite both the House of Lords and House of Commons paper numbers, in that order.

Footnote

ⁿ Name of Committee, Title of Report (HL/HC Session, paper number and volume number in roman numerals if there is one) pinpoint if required.

¹ Health Committee, Patient Safety (HC 2008–2009, 151-I) paras 173-75.

² Home Affairs Committee, Prostitution (third report, 2016-17, HC 26) paras 46-48. 

³ Joint Committee on Human Rights, Legislative Scrutiny: Equality Bill (second report); Digital Economy Bill (2009–10, HL 73, HC 425) 14-16.

Bibliography

Each reference should start with a bullet point. No full stop is needed at the end of the reference.

Name of Committee, Title of Report (HL/HC Session, paper number and volume number in roman numerals if there is one)

Health Committee, Patient Safety (HC 2008-2009, 151-I)

Home Affairs Committee, Prostitution (third report, 2016-17, HC 26)

Joint Committee on Human Rights, Legislative Scrutiny: Equality Bill (second report); Digital Economy Bill (2009-10, HL 73, HC 425)

• Law Commission, Northern Ireland Law Commission (NILC), and Scotland Law Commission (Scot Law Com) are authors for their respective reports.
• Use abbreviations for the report: England and Wales (Law Com), Scotland (Scot Law Com), Northern Ireland (NILC).
• Discussion paper (DP) or Consultation paper (CP) number is treated the same as a report. 

Footnote

ⁿ Commission name, Title (Abbreviation No number, Year) pinpoint if required.

¹ Law Commission, Reforming Bribery (Law Com No 313, 2008) paras 3.12–3.17.

² Law Commission, Company Directors: Regulating Conflicts of Interest and Formulating a Statement of Duties (Law Comm No 261, 1999) [8.12].

Bibliography 

Each reference should start with a bullet point. No full stop is needed at the end of the reference.

Law Commission, Reforming Bribery (Law Com No 313, 2008)

Law Commission, Company Directors: Regulating Conflicts of Interest and Formulating a Statement of Duties (Law Comm No 261, 1999)

• Including reports, briefing papers and other publications from the House of Commons Library or the House of Lords Library.
• If there is a personal author, cite the personal author(s).  If not, use the departmental name as the author.

Footnote

ⁿ Author name as it appears on the source, Title (Series number, Day Month Year) pinpoint if required.

⁴ Ministry of Justice, Reducing Family Conflict: Reform of the Legal Requirements for Divorce (September 2018) 10.

⁵ David Torrance, The United Kingdom Constitution: A Mapping Exercise (CBP 9384, 22 July 2026) 62.

Bibliography

Each reference should start with a bullet point. No full stop is needed at the end of the reference.

Author Initials, Title (Series number, Day Month Year)

Ministry of Justice, Reducing Family Conflict: Reform of the Legal Requirements for Divorce (September 2018)

Torrance D, The United Kingdom Constitution: A Mapping Exercise (CBP 9384, 22 July 2026)