Glossary of Terms

• White Paper

  White papers are policy documents produced by the Government that set out their proposals for future legislation. White Papers are often published as Command Papers and may include a draft version of a Bill that is being planned. This provides a basis for further consultation and discussion with interested or affected groups and allows final changes to be made before a Bill is formally presented to Parliament.

  Source: https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/glossary/white-paper/

• Policy Paper

  The term policy paper is not explicitly defined on UK government sites but is widely used to categorise publications on GOV.UK that describe or explain government policies. These papers can be used to explain policies or proposals. They can also provide updates or context without necessarily committing to legislative action.

• Green Paper

  Green Papers are consultation documents produced by the Government. The aim of this document is to allow people both inside and outside Parliament to give the department feedback on its policy or legislative proposals.

  Source: https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/glossary/green-papers/

• Factsheet

  A concise document providing key information about a particular topic or policy.