Statutory rules and orders began with the Rules Publication Act 1893. Prior to that act there had been no consistent way of publishing orders, regulations or other delegated legislation made by the government.
In the independent state of Ireland statutory rules and orders were replaced by statutory instruments defined by Statutory Instruments Act 1947 more broadly than in the 1946 UK act.[1]
In Northern Ireland statutory rules and orders were replaced by statutory rules under the Statutory Rules (Northern Ireland) Order 1979.