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UK Parliamentary & Government Publications (Public Information Online)

In collaboration with Dandy Booksellers, this database is a comprehensive archive of documents from the UK Parliament, such as papers, bills, acts, and key non-Parliamentary and Scottish government publications.

Topic Overview

This database contains parliamentary papers for the United Kingdom. The UK Parliament:

  • is the supreme legislative body for England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland
  • also controls the political bodies for the British Overseas Territories

The UK Parliamentary Papers:

  • showcase centuries of legislative debate and thinking
  • are an essential resource for studying world history
  • offer insights into the affairs of Britain's colonies and its foreign relations
  • have coverage back to 1801

The modern British Parliament:

  • is one of the oldest continuous representative assemblies in the world
  • is often called "the mother of parliaments" 
  • composed of three parts: the Monarch, the House of Lords, and the House of Commons
    • the House of Lords is the upper chamber but has extremely limited powers
      • is made up of life peers that are appointed by the sovereign
    • the House of Commons is the lower chamber and originates most legislation
      • is made up of 650 Members of Parliament (MPs) that are elected by the public
  • no longer has legislative powers over areas such as the environment, food safety, health care, and education
    • instead, it devolved its legislative power starting in 1999 to the Scottish Parliament, Welsh Parliament, and Northern Ireland Assembly to handle these areas

Visit Database

The database landing page. At the top are 8 tabs: introduction, All Titles, UK Parliament, Scottish Parliament, Northern Ireland Assembly, Welsh Parliament (Senedd), Scottish Government, and Key Non-Parliamentary Papers. Below is introductory text explaining the database. On the right hand side of the page are pictures of parliamentary buildings.