UK Parliament MCP Server

search_hansard_full

Search all Hansard content types in one query to find UK Parliament debates, statements, questions, and petitions by date, house, or member.

Instructions

Full search across all Hansard content types | Hansard, comprehensive search | Use for broad searches across debates, statements, questions, and petitions. Returns mixed results from all Hansard content types. See also: search_hansard, search_parliament.

    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 for speeches or debates (optional).
        member_id: Optional member ID to filter results to a specific MP/Lord.
        skip: Number of results to skip for pagination (default 0).
        take: Number of results to return (default 20).

    Returns:
        Hansard records matching the search criteria across all types.

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

A3.7/5.0

Behavior3/5

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 usefully discloses that results are mixed across all content types and documents the skip/take pagination defaults, but says nothing about result limits, rate limits, ordering of mixed results, or the cost of broad queries.

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:'/'Returns:' block is well organized and front-loads the purpose, but the leading tag strip ('Hansard, comprehensive search |') is redundant filler, and the Returns section restates what the existing output schema already provides.

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?

For a 7-parameter, zero-required search tool the description covers every parameter plus usage context, and the output schema handles return values (making the Returns line redundant rather than necessary). The remaining gap is the absence of any guidance on how broad unfiltered calls behave or how this tool relates precisely to its two named alternatives.

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 largely does: it documents all seven parameters, including the 1/'Commons' and 2/'Lords' house encoding, the YYYY-MM-DD date format, and skip/take defaults. It does not clarify interactions between filters (e.g. house vs member_id) or the default behavior when no filters are supplied.

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 ('Full search across all Hansard content types') and distinguishes itself from narrower siblings by scoping to debates, statements, questions, and petitions. It names two alternatives ('See also: search_hansard, search_parliament') but never says how its scope differs from theirs, so the differentiation is only partial.

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?

'Use for broad searches across debates, statements, questions, and petitions' gives a clear positive condition for choosing this tool over the narrower Hansard search siblings. There is no explicit when-not guidance or statement of what search_hansard/search_parliament should be used for instead, so the agent must infer the boundary.

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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