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Find Member of Parliament

parliament_find_member
Read-onlyIdempotent

USE THIS TOOL WHEN you have a member's name and need their integer member_id.

Returns all members matching the name query, each with the integer id, party, constituency, house, and current-sitting status. Disambiguates common-name matches (e.g. "Lord Smith" returns multiple peers).

CALL THIS BEFORE any tool that filters by member_id — including parliament_get_debate_contributions, parliament_member_debates, and parliament_member_interests. Name → ID first; ID-based filtering second. Skipping this step and text-searching by name returns unrelated results (see parliament_search_hansard's anti-bypass note for the Pannick case).

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
nameYesName or partial name, e.g. 'Starmer', 'Baroness Hale'

Output Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
queryYesThe name that was searched
totalYesNumber of members matching the query
membersNoMatching members. Use the integer `id` field from any member to call parliament_member_debates or parliament_member_interests.

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. Changed5 schema fields changed
    • addedOutput schema / properties / members / items / properties / is_current / anyOf
      Added value: +[
+  {
+    "type": "boolean"
+  },
+  {
+    "type": "null"
+  }
+]
    • addedOutput schema / properties / members / items / properties / is_current / default
      Added value: +null
    • changedOutput schema / properties / members / items / properties / is_current / description
      Previous value: -"Whether the member currently sits"New value: +"Whether the member currently sits, in priority order: (1) the source's own membershipStatus.statusIsActive when membershipStatus is present — authoritative, used directly; (2) False when membershipStatus is null/absent but this record's own membershipEndDate is set — an authoritative end date, not an inference from how other records look; (3) None when neither is available — genuinely indeterminate, not fabricated as True or False. A null membershipStatus is NOT by itself read as 'ended'."
    • removedOutput schema / properties / members / items / properties / is_current / type
      Removed value: -"boolean"
    • changedOutput schema / properties / members / items / required
      Previous value: -[
-  "id",
-  "name",
-  "party",
-  "house",
-  "is_current"
-]New value: +[
+  "id",
+  "name",
+  "party",
+  "house"
+]
  2. Changed3 schema fields changed
    • addedInput schema / properties / name
      Added value: +{
+  "description": "Name or partial name, e.g. 'Starmer', 'Baroness Hale'",
+  "maxLength": 200,
+  "minLength": 2,
+  "type": "string"
+}
    • removedInput schema / properties / params
      Removed value: -{
-  "additionalProperties": false,
-  "description": "FindMemberInput with the name (full or partial).",
-  "properties": {
-    "name": {
-      "description": "Name or partial name, e.g. 'Starmer', 'Baroness Hale'",
-      "maxLength": 200,
-      "minLength": 2,
-      "type": "string"
-    }
-  },
-  "required": [
-    "name"
-  ],
-  "type": "object"
-}
    • changedInput schema / required
      Previous value: -[
-  "params"
-]New value: +[
+  "name"
+]
  3. Changed1 schema field changed
    • addedInput schema / properties / params / description
      Added value: +"FindMemberInput with the name (full or partial)."
  4. Changed7 schema fields changed
    • changedOutput schema / description
      Previous value: -"Generic wrapper for non-object return types."New value: +"Result of a parliament member name search.\n\nWraps the list of matching members with search metadata so the\nLLM client sees a real nested object on the wire rather than a\nstringified JSON blob."
    • addedOutput schema / properties / members
      Added value: +{
+  "description": "Matching members. Use the integer `id` field from any member to call parliament_member_debates or parliament_member_interests.",
+  "items": {
+    "description": "A current or former Member of Parliament or Lord.",
+    "properties": {
+      "constituency": {
+        "anyOf": [
+          {
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          {
+            "type": "null"
+          }
+        ],
+        "default": null,
+        "description": "Constituency (Commons); None for Lords"
+      },
+      "house": {
+        "description": "House of Parliament",
+        "enum": [
+          "Commons",
+          "Lords"
+        ],
+        "type": "string"
+      },
+      "id": {
+        "description": "Parliament Members API member ID",
+        "type": "integer"
+      },
+      "is_current": {
+        "description": "Whether the member currently sits",
+        "type": "boolean"
+      },
+      "name": {
+        "description": "Full display name",
+        "type": "string"
+      },
+      "party": {
+        "description": "Current or last party affiliation",
+        "type": "string"
+      }
+    },
+    "required": [
+      "id",
+      "name",
+      "party",
+      "house",
+      "is_current"
+    ],
+    "type": "object"
+  },
+  "type": "array"
+}
    • addedOutput schema / properties / query
      Added value: +{
+  "description": "The name that was searched",
+  "type": "string"
+}
    • removedOutput schema / properties / result
      Removed value: -{
-  "type": "string"
-}
    • addedOutput schema / properties / total
      Added value: +{
+  "description": "Number of members matching the query",
+  "type": "integer"
+}
    • changedOutput schema / required
      Previous value: -[
-  "result"
-]New value: +[
+  "query",
+  "total"
+]
    • removedOutput schema / x-fastmcp-wrap-result
      Removed value: -true
  5. First observed

TDQS

A4.7/5.0
Behavior4/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already cover read-only, open-world, idempotent, and non-destructive behavior. The description adds useful behavioral context beyond annotations: it says all matching members are returned with specific fields, that common-name matches are disambiguated, and that skipping it produces unrelated results. It does not mention rate limits or auth needs, but those are less relevant for this read-only lookup.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is front-loaded with the primary trigger in the first sentence, then returns, then ordering rules. It is compact and every sentence serves selection or invocation; no wasted preamble.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

Given the annotations covering safety and the presence of an output schema, the description supplies everything needed: when to use it, what it returns, why disambiguation matters, and how it fits before ID-filtering sibling tools. No critical selection or invocation detail is missing.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters4/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema coverage is 100% and the parameter already has an example. The description adds meaning beyond the schema by clarifying that the name query may match multiple members, that common names need disambiguation, and that the result is an integer ID for downstream filtering.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description states a specific verb and resource: find a Member of Parliament by name and return their integer member_id. It distinguishes itself from sibling tools that filter by member_id and from text-search alternatives, so an agent can select it without opening other schemas.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines5/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

It gives an explicit trigger ('USE THIS TOOL WHEN you have a member's name and need their integer member_id') and an explicit ordering rule ('CALL THIS BEFORE any tool that filters by member_id'), naming three downstream tools. It also warns what happens if skipped, which is strong when-to-use guidance.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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