This section of the Legal Research Manual highlights where to find historical and modern English legislation. Some resources for tracing amendments to English legislation are provided. Researchers are encouraged to consult a more in-depth English research guide if needed. [LINK TO PAGE ON ENGLISH LEGAL RESEARCH GUIDES].
Historical English legislation can be a useful resource for understanding the foundations of Canadian law. But, since there is a rich legislative history in England, finding and tracing historical statutes can be a bit complex.
Historical statutes were published in different series by different publishers, such as the Statutes of the Realm (1235-1713), Acts and Ordinances of the Interregnum (1642-1660), and Statutes at Large (1215-1800).
Statutes of the Realm (1235-1713)
Acts and Ordinances of the Interregnum (1642-1660)
Statutes at Large (1215-1800)
►See Historical English Legislation for more information.
English legislation recently or currently in force can be found in several locations, including Legislation.gov.uk, BAILII, Westlaw, and Lexis.
►See Modern English Legislation for more information about where to find modern legislation.
In United Kingdom, Parliament can create legislation that can apply to the whole extent of the UK (England and Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland) or to one or more of the countries. As a result, you may need to determine where legislation applies.
To determine where legislation applies, you will need to read the statute. Each statute will have an extent statement which will indicate where it will apply.
►See Legislation.gov.uk for a more in-depth explanation on extent statements.
Tracing English legislation can be complex. Thankfully, there are many resources that aim to make it easier. The library can provide access to several of the resources that you may need, including the Chronological Table of Statutes, Halsbury's Statutes of England, and the Index to Statutes (1235-1991).
►See the House of Common's Tracing Acts of Parliament fact sheet to learn more about how to trace English legislation.
