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Three Centuries of Parliamentary Records and Policy Documents

The U.K. Government Collection is a rich archive of essential primary sources documenting U.K.’s transformation from imperial power to modern democracy from 1660 to present. Through bills, reports, debates, and public petitions, these working documents reveal how Parliament shaped policy across three centuries of governance.

Built upon the foundation of both House of Commons and House of Lords Parliamentary Papers, along with Public Petitions to Parliament, these materials serve as key resources for examining parliamentary activities, legislative processes, and the U.K.’s colonial relationships and international influence. The digital format makes these historical records more readily available to researchers and scholars interested in studying U.K. governance and parliamentary history.

Research Parliament's Role Through the Centuries

Deep Historical Coverage

Primary sources spanning 1660-present documenting colonial administration, social reforms, decolonization, and global policy development

Parliamentary Documentation

Bills, Command Papers, Hansard Debates, House of Commons/Lords Papers, and 960,000+ public petitions in one comprehensive platform

Research Support

Faceted searching, full-text PDFs, and MyResearch integration for efficient exploration of British governance themes

Customer Resources

U.K. Government Collection Brochure

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U.K. Parliamentary Papers Collection 21st Century Brochure

View the U.K. Parliamentary Papers Collection 21st Century Brochure

The Impacts of Digital Collections

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U.K. Parliamentary Papers Collection 21st Century (2005-present)

Part of U.K. Government Documents, this authoritative collection captures the living record of British governance, legislative development, and policy formation, serving as an indispensable resource for understanding Britain’s response to modern challenges and its evolving role in global affairs. Researchers and institutions gain access to primary source documentation essential for analyzing contemporary British policy, governance, and social change.

U.K. Parliamentary Papers 18th Century (1660-1834)

Comprehensive parliamentary documents from 1660-1834 covering major historical events including the Industrial Revolution, American Revolution, vaccination development, slavery abolition, and maritime exploration. The collection includes Commons and Lords sessional papers, History and Proceedings/Debates, Commons and Lords Journals, and Bills and Acts. Created through collaboration with Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC), British Official Publications Collaborative Reader Information Service (BOPCRIS), British Library, and University of Cambridge.

House of Commons Parliamentary Papers 19th Century (1801-1900)

Digital compilation of Parliamentary Sessions Papers (1801-1900), featuring complete government documentation and reporting during Britain’s Victorian era. Combines Chadwyck-Healey’s microfiche collection with Cockton’s comprehensive subject index, covering topics from industrialization to colonial interactions with indigenous peoples in Australasia and North America.

House of Commons Parliamentary Papers 20th Century (1901-2004)

Extensive collection of parliamentary papers from 1901- 2000 with comprehensive subject indexing combining Her Majesty’s Stationery Office (HMSO) Indexes, Parliamentary On-Line Information Service (POLIS) database, and modern terminology. Covers pivotal events including World Wars, decolonization, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) formation, Cold War, Falklands War, and early anti-terror legislation.

House of Lords Parliamentary Papers 19th Century (1801-1910)

The House of Lords Papers provide unique insights into a period when the Lords wielded considerable power in British governance. These papers offer previously unavailable material including detailed committee testimony, statistical data, and correspondence that complement the Commons papers. The collection allows researchers to track legislation between chambers and examine the Lords' distinct perspective on major social and political reforms.

Public Petitions to Parliament (1833-1918)

Public Petitions to Parliament captures popular political participation in 19th century Britain through formal citizen requests to Parliament. These petitions, representing voices from workers and factory owners to religious groups and reform advocates, form the most widespread form of political expression of the era. The collection provides unique insights into how ordinary citizens sought to influence Parliament on issues ranging from working conditions to women's suffrage.

Hansard (1803-2005)

Hansard delivers nearly 72,000 digitized records of Parliamentary debates, written ministerial statements, and parliamentary questions from both the House of Commons and House of Lords. Created through the Hansard Digitization Project led by the House of Commons and House of Lords library services, this comprehensive archive enables researchers to trace how legislation and topics evolved through parliamentary discourse.

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