c. 55) was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that consolidated for England and Wales enactments relating to sheriffs and repealed from 1275 to 1881 which had ceased to be in force or had become necessary.

[1] 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.

[2] 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."

[2] The Board issued three reports, 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.

Wood to expurgate the statute book of all acts which, though not expressly repealed, were not in force, working backwards from the present time.

[6] The bill had its second reading in the House of Commons on 12 July 1887, introduced by the Solicitor General, Sir Edward Clarke MP.

[11] Section 39 of the act included several safeguards to ensure that the repeal does not negatively affect existing rights or ongoing legal matters, including:[11] Section 40 of the act provided that notwithstanding any repeal, courts leet, court baron or other like courts existing at the time shall continue to be held on the same days and in their usual places as before, but without larger powers or fees, and any indictment or presentment shall be dealt with as previously.