[5] In 1806, the Commission on Public Records passed a resolution requesting the production of a report on the best mode of reducing the volume of the statute book.

[3] In 1816, both Houses of Parliament, passed resolutions that an eminent lawyer with 20 clerks be commissioned to make a digest of the statutes, which was declared "very expedient to be done."

[3] The Board issued three reports dated 18 August 1853, 31 January 1854 and 2 June 1854, recommending the creation of a permanent body for statute law reform.

An alternative approach, focusing on expunging obsolete laws from the statute book, followed by consolidation, was proposed by Peter Locke King MP, who was heavily critical of the expenditure of the Commission and the lack of results.

[7] The Sleeping Statutes Bill had its first reading in the House of Commons on 29 April 1856,[8] introduced by Peter Locke King MP.

[13] The bill was supported by George Campbell, 8th Duke of Argyll and the Lord Chancellor, Robert Rolfe, 1st Baron Cranworth.

[15] The amended bill was considered by the House of Commons on 17 July 1856, which agreed to the change of the short title to "Statutes not in Use Repeal".