National Papers
Most national papers are now available free online.
Public Acts of Parliament
An Act of Parliament creates a new law or changes an existing law. An Act is a Bill approved by both the House of Commons and the House of Lords and formally agreed to by the reigning monarch (known as Royal Assent). Once implemented, an Act is law and applies to the UK as a whole or to specific areas of the country.
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1628 to 1701, 1642 to 1660 - British History Online
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1801 to 1987: most (but not all) acts - UK Legislation
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1988 to present: all acts - UK Legislation
Bills
A Bill becomes an Act when it is approved by both Houses and is formally agreed. For 1497 to 1849, before printing, the same vellum document was used for bills. For bills in this period, consult the relevant Act.
- Bills from 2001 to the present - UK Parliament -bills
Parliamentary debates
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1066 to 1803 in Cobbett's Parliamentary History of England - Oxford Digital Library
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1559 to 1739 - British History Online catalogue
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1803 (start date of Hansard) to 2005 - Historical Hansard
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House of Commons debates Nov 1988 to present - UK Parliament - commons
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House of Lords debates 1995 to 1996 to present - UK Parliament - lords
House of Commons Journals
The House of Commons Journal is the corrected, archive edition of Votes and Proceedings, the formal record of House of Commons business for a given day.
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1547 to 1699 - British History Online journals
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1695 to 1879 available at Central Library search room
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1837 to present - UK Parliament journals
House of Commons Papers
These are papers which result from the work of the House and its Committees or are otherwise necessary for its work. They include select committee papers, minutes of proceedings of public bill committees, estimates and appropriation accounts and other categories.
- 1714 to present - UK Parliament papers
- Select Committee Reports 1997 to present - UK Parliament reports
- Parliamentary Education Committee Reports 1839 to 1861 available at Central Library search room
House of Lords Papers
These are papers which result from the work of the House and its Committees or are otherwise necessary for its work.
- 1714 to 1805, 2001 to present - UK Parliament papers
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Select Committee Reports 1980s to present - UK Parliament committees
House of Lords Journals
The House of Lords Journal is the corrected, archive edition of Minutes of Proceedings, the formal record of House of Lords business for a given day.
- 1513 to 1989 available at Central Library search room
- 1997 to 2010 - UK Parliament lords journals
- 2010 to present - UK Parliament lords journals
Statutory Instruments
Statutory Instruments are a form of legislation which allow the provisions of an Act of Parliament to be subsequently brought into force or altered without Parliament having to pass a new Act.
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1948 to 1986 (partial), 1987 to present (complete) - Legislation UK statutory instruments
Public Information Online
The Public Information Online database includes:
- House of Commons Papers - House of Commons Papers 2006 onwards
- House of Commons Bills - House of Commons Bills 2006 onwards
- House of Commons Explanatory Notes - House of Commons Explanatory Notes 2006 onwards
- House of Lords Papers - House of Lords Papers 1983 onwards
- House of Lords Bills and Amendments - House of Lords Bills and Amendments 2006 onwards
- House of Lords Explanatory Notes - House of Lords Explanatory Notes 2006 onwards
- Command Papers - Command Papers 2006 onwards
- Public Bill and General Committee Debates - Public Bill and General Committee Debates 2006 onwards
- Public General Acts - Public General Acts 1988 onwards
- Act Explanatory Notes - Act Explanatory Notes 1999 onwards
- HOC Daily Hansards - HOC Daily Hansards 2008 onwards
- HOL Daily Hansards - HOL Daily Hansards 2008 onwards
- HOC Weekly Information Bulletins CEASED - HOC Weekly Information Bulletins CEASED 2008 onwards
- Votes and Proceedings - Votes and Proceedings 2009 onwards
- Local Acts - Local Acts 1991 onwards
- Church Measures - Church Measures 1988 onwards
- Unnumbered Act Papers - Unnumbered Act Papers 2014 onwards