get_sittings

Retrieve parliamentary sittings and filter by Commons or Lords and date range to find session dates or track parliamentary activity.

Instructions

Get parliamentary sittings with optional filtering by house and date range. Use when researching when Parliament was in session, finding specific sitting dates, or tracking parliamentary activity. See also: get_sitting_dates, get_hansard_calendar.

    Args:
        house: Optional: 'Commons' or 'Lords' (1 or 2 also accepted).
        date_from: Optional: start date in YYYY-MM-DD format.
        date_to: Optional: end date in YYYY-MM-DD format.
        skip: Optional: number of records to skip (for pagination).
        take: Optional: number of records to return.

    Returns:
        Parliamentary sittings matching the criteria.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`skip`	No
`take`	No
`house`	No
`date_to`	No
`date_from`	No

Output Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`result`	Yes

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

First observedv0.1.0Oct 6, 2026

TDQS

A3.8/5.0

Behavior3/5

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

With no annotations, the description must carry behavioral weight, and it does imply a read-only retrieval and mentions pagination via skip/take. But it discloses no auth requirements, rate limits, or default result sizing, and the 'Returns' line only restates the purpose.

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

Conciseness4/5

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

Purpose, usage, cross-references, args, and returns are laid out in a scannable order with the primary verb front-loaded. The 'Returns' sentence ('sittings matching the criteria') is close to tautological and could be dropped, keeping it from a 5.

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

Completeness4/5

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

An output schema exists, so return values needn't be spelled out, and all parameters plus usage context are covered. For a read-only, optionally-filtered list tool this is sufficient, with only minor gaps around defaults and alternative selection.

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 description coverage is 0%, so the description must compensate, and it does document all five parameters: house with accepted values ('Commons'/'Lords', 1 or 2), date formats (YYYY-MM-DD), and skip/take semantics for pagination. That is meaningful added meaning beyond the bare schema, though it omits default behavior when filters are absent.

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

Purpose4/5

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

States a specific verb+resource ('Get parliamentary sittings') plus its filter scope ('by house and date range'), which cleanly separates it from unfiltered calendar lookups. It gestures at siblings with 'See also' but doesn't explain how get_sitting_dates or get_hansard_calendar differ, so it stops short of a 5.

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

Usage Guidelines4/5

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

The 'Use when researching when Parliament was in session, finding specific sitting dates, or tracking parliamentary activity' sentence gives concrete contexts. However, the named alternatives are offered without conditions, so an agent has no rule for choosing among them.

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

Deploy Server

UK Parliament MCP Server