British Parliament debates | National Library of Australia (NLA)

British Parliament debates

What are debates?

British Parliamentary debates are of interest to those studying public issues in Great Britain, particularly social and political history, law, etc.. Debates are often concerned with bills which are draft versions of a proposed act of Parliament. Debates also contain parliamentary questions and debates on issues of national importance.

Parliamentary debates are also known as Hansard. Hansard is the official report of the proceedings of the British Parliament and record what is said in the House. The name Hansard was officially adopted in 1943 after Luke Hansard (1752-1828) who was the printer of the House of Commons Journal from 1774.

House of Commons General Committees, whose chief function is to consider proposed bills, have their own Hansards. A Public Bill Committee is named after the Bill it considers, e.g. a committee considering a Bill titled the Climate Bill would be called the Climate Bill Committee. The House of Lords do not have these committees.

Library holdings and online access

Library holdings and online access - House of Commons
PublicationTime periodAccess links
Cobbett's parliamentary history of England: from the Norman conquest in 1066, to the year 1803.

Vol. 1 (1066-1625) to Vol. 12 (1741/1743)

NB: Early debates may not be faithful to the actual words spoken by Members of Parliament.

Controlled Access Collection

Microfilm

Visit our eResources portal and search for the resource U.K. Parliamentary Papers under the Browse eResources tab.

Parliamentary history of England (Hansard)Vol. 13 (1743/1747) to Vol. 36 (1801/1803)Controlled Access Collection
Parliamentary debates during the ...session of the ...Parliament1st Series, Vol. 1, 22nd Nov. 1803 to 29th Mar. 1804

Catalogue request

Visit our eResources portal and search for the resource U.K. Parliamentary Papers under the Browse eResources tab.

Parliamentary debates from the year 1803 to the present time1st Series, Vol. 2 to Vol. 41, 1804-1820

Controlled Access Collection

Visit our eResources portal and search for the resource U.K. Parliamentary Papers under the Browse eResources tab.

The Parliamentary debates, New (2nd) Series.2nd Series, Vol.1-v.20, 1820-1829

Controlled Access Collection

Visit our eResources portal and search for the resource U.K. Parliamentary Papers under the Browse eResources tab.

Hansard's parliamentary debates (New series)

2nd Series, Vol.21 to Vol.25, (1829-1830)

3rd series, Vol.1 to Vol. 356, 1830-1891

Controlled Access Collection

Visit our eResources portal and search for the resource U.K. Parliamentary Papers under the Browse eResources tab.

Parliamentary debates, authorised edition4th series, vol. 1-v.199, 1892-1908

Controlled Access Collection

Visit our eResources portal and search for the resource U.K. Parliamentary Papers under the Browse eResources tab.

Parliamentary debates (official report)5th series, vol. 1-v.7 (1909)

Controlled Access Collection

Visit our eResources portal and search for the resource U.K. Parliamentary Papers under the Browse eResources tab.

Parliamentary debates (official report).5th series, vol.8-v.318, (1909-1936)

Controlled Access Collection

Visit our eResources portal and search for the resource U.K. Parliamentary Papers under the Browse eResources tab.

Parliamentary debates. House of Commons official report5th series, vol.319-v.393, (1937-1943)

Controlled Access Collection

Visit our eResources portal and search for the resource U.K. Parliamentary Papers under the Browse eResources tab.

Parliamentary debates (Hansard). House of Commons official report

5th series, vol.394-v.1000, (1942/43-1980/81)

6th series, vol.1-vol 561, (1943-2012)

Controlled Access Collection (not complete)

Visit our eResources portal and search for the resource U.K. Parliamentary Papers under the Browse eResources tab (to 2009)

Online (to 2004)

House of Commons debates by dateNovember 1988+Online

Library holdings and online access - House of Commons committees
PublicationTime periodAccess links
Parliamentary debates. Official report. Standing committees1935/36-1938/39; 1944/45Controlled Access Collection
Parliamentary debates (Hansard). House of Commons official report. Standing committees...1945/46-1954/55; 1956/57-1957/58Controlled Access Collection
Parliamentary debates. House of Commons official report. Standing committees...1959/1960-2006Controlled Access Collection
General Committee debates (previously Standing Committees)1997/98+Online
Commons Public Bill Committee debates (previously Standing Committees on Bills)1997/98+Online

Library holdings and online access - House of Lords
PublicationTime periodAccess links
Debates1066-1909See above under House of Commons. Prior to 1909, House of Commons and House of Lords Debates were published together.
Parliamentary debates (official report)5th series vol. 1 (1909)

Controlled Access Collection

Online

Parliamentary debates (official report). House of Lords5th series vol. 2-v.103 (1909-1936)

Controlled Access Collection

Online

Parliamentary debates. House of Lords official report5th series vol.104-v.129 (1937-1943)

Controlled Access Collection

Online

Parliamentary debates (Hansard). House of Lords official report5th series (1943 -2011)

Controlled Access Collection

Online

House of Lords DebatesNovember 1995/96 to dateOnline

Retrieving volumes of debates

The indexes to the debates enable searches by subject, speaker, bill etc. Note the volume (if applicable) and page number.

If you have the specific date, i.e. the day, month and year, this information is sufficient to retrieve the correct volume.

To request Debates, locate the catalogue record for the appropriate time period and House. Select the Request button. On the next page, type in the details of volume and/or date required and submit your request.

If you don't know the date, please contact our Ask a Librarian service for assistance.

Indexes to debates

The indexes to debates are published as part of the bound volumes of Debates. See relevant entries for House of Commons and House of Lords.

Online access to indexes are found at Parliament.uk. Use the Index link on the following pages:

Speaker's Chair

This chair was used as the Speaker’s Chair between 1927 and 1988 and is still located in the House of Representatives Chamber at the Museum of Australian Democracy, Old Parliament House.

The chair represents the ties between England and Australia and reflects a history of continuity through the inherited Westminster system of Parliament. Read more at the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House website.

Old black and white phot of the Speaker's Chari presented by the British House of Commons

William James Mildenhall, Speaker's Chair presented by House of Commons, 1926, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-141430941

William James Mildenhall, Speaker's Chair presented by House of Commons, 1926, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-141430941

In this guide

A picture of Queen Victoria at the House of Lords to open the first Parliament of her reign

C. E Wagstaff & George Baxter, (1841), The arrival of Her Most Gracious Majesty Queen Victoria at the House of Lords to open the first Parliament of her reign, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-136108572

British Parliament research guide

British Parliamentary publications are valuable primary sources for research into British and dominion history, including Australia.

Research guide
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British Parliament business

How to find votes and proceedings of the House of Commons, minutes of proceedings and order papers of the House of Lords, and the journals for each house.

Research guide
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British Parliament bills

A bill is a proposal for a new law which is debated by Parliament. There are separate sets of bills for both the Houses of Commons and Lords.

Research guide
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British Parliament Acts

A Bill which has received Royal Assent becomes an Act.

Research guide
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British Parliament papers

Whenever the Houses of Commons or Lords requires the submission of a report and orders it to be printed, the resulting document is issued in a numbered series of House of Commons papers or House of Lords papers.

Research guide
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British Parliament reference works

The Library holds a number of British parliamentary publications in the Reference Collection in the Main Reading Room.

Research guide
Page published: 07 Dec 2023

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