search_hansard_divisions

Search Hansard divisions to find recorded UK Parliament votes by house, date range, member, or keyword, returning matching results.

Instructions

Search for divisions (votes) in Hansard | Hansard, divisions, votes | Use to find recorded votes in Parliament. Returns divisions matching the search criteria. See also: search_commons_divisions, search_lords_divisions.

    Args:
        house: Optional: house - 1 or 'Commons', 2 or 'Lords'.
        start_date: Start date in YYYY-MM-DD format (optional).
        end_date: End date in YYYY-MM-DD format (optional).
        search_term: Search term (optional).
        member_id: Optional member ID to filter results.
        skip: Number of results to skip for pagination (default 0).
        take: Number of results to return (default 20).

    Returns:
        Divisions matching the search criteria.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`skip`	No
`take`	No
`house`	No
`end_date`	No
`member_id`	No
`start_date`	No
`search_term`	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

B3.3/5.0

Behavior2/5

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

No annotations are provided, so the description carries the full behavioral burden. It documents pagination via the skip/take args but never states that this is a read-only operation, nor mentions auth, rate limits, result ordering, or default behavior when no filters are given.

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

Conciseness3/5

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

The Args block is useful and front-loaded, but the pipe-separated tag line ('Hansard, divisions, votes') is keyword noise, and the return value is stated twice ('Returns divisions matching the search criteria' appears in both the body and the Returns section).

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 need no elaboration, and the description covers purpose, alternatives, and all seven parameters. It is nearly complete for a search tool, with only behavioral context (read-only nature, ordering) 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 description coverage is 0%, so the schema provides only titles. The description compensates well: it explains house accepts 1/'Commons' or 2/'Lords', gives the YYYY-MM-DD date format, and clarifies member_id as a result filter and skip/take as pagination with defaults.

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 and resource ('Search for divisions (votes) in Hansard') and names two relevant siblings, search_commons_divisions and search_lords_divisions. It does not explain how it differs from those siblings (e.g. whether it spans both houses), so it falls just short of full differentiation.

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

Usage Guidelines3/5

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

'Use to find recorded votes in Parliament' gives implied context, and the 'See also' line points at alternatives. However, it never states when to choose this tool over search_commons_divisions or search_lords_divisions, leaving the routing decision to inference.

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