Q. What are Green Papers and White Papers?

Green and White Papers are consultation documents produced by Government departments. Green Papers gather feedback on changes to policy. White Papers outline legislative proposals or draft Bills. Green and White Papers are sometimes called Command Papers, and are numbered in sequence.

The parliament.uk website offers an excellent glossary of key terms, including:

• Acts of Parliament
• Bills
• Debates
• Green Papers
• White Papers

For some referencing examples, try the Education subject guide, under the Policy tab, or have a look on Cite Them Right Online.