Accessing research and information

Research briefings can be a valuable source of topical analysis and information for researchers, students and tutors.

They are produced within Parliament by the House of Commons Library, the House of Lords Library and the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST) primarily for MPs, Members of the House of Lords and their staff, but are available online.

Tips on searching research briefings

You can find research briefings by using a series of drop-down menus to sort by date, type, or one of 350 topics.

Below are some examples of search criteria to use in order to find briefings on specific topics:

To find briefings on topical issues relating to devolution from 2012:

Select the following:
Type: Commons Library Standard Note
Topic: Parliament, government and politics
Sub-topic: Devolution
Date: 2012

To find in-depth analysis of the passage of the Education Bill 2011:

Select the following:
Type: Commons Library Research Paper
Topic: Education
Sub-topic: All
Date: 2011

To find background information on the House of Lords:

Select the following:
Type: Lords Library Note
Topic: Parliament, government and politics
Sub-topic: House of Lords
Date: All

Please note:

  • This information is provided to Members of Parliament and Peers in support of their parliamentary duties and is not intended to address the specific circumstances of any particular individual.
  • These are politically impartial documents providing factual information and a balanced selection of viewpoints.
  • Authors are not available to discuss the contents of papers with members of the general public.
  • The information is accurate at the time of publication, but may not cover the most recent developments.
  • The information should not be relied upon as legal or professional advice or as a substitute for it.
  • Please check copyright information and ensure that papers are referenced when used.

Research briefings: Glossary

Commons Library Research Papers: in-depth and impartial analysis on every major piece of primary legislation and on other major topics of public and parliamentary concern. Regular statistics papers are also published.

Commons Library Standard Notes: 3,000 briefings on topical issues or frequently asked questions.

Lords Library Notes: written by the research section of the House of Lords Library to provide information on topics of current interest to members

POST Notes: short briefings produced by the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology analysing policy issues that have a basis in science and technology.

POST Reports: occasional major reports produced by the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology.