search_historical_members

Search UK Parliament past MPs and Lords by name and date to find historical Commons or Lords members. Returns profiles matching your search criteria.

Instructions

Search historical members of the Commons or Lords | past MPs, historic members, former members, historical search | Use when researching members from historical periods or who were active on a specific date | Returns member profiles matching the historical search criteria See also: get_member_by_name, get_members_history.

    Args:
        name: Name search term (partial match). Required by the API.
        date_to_search_for: Find members active on this date (YYYY-MM-DD). Required by the API.
        skip: Number of records to skip (for pagination).
        take: Number of records to return (default 20, max 20).

    Returns:
        Member profiles matching the historical search criteria.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`name`	Yes
`skip`	No
`take`	No
`date_to_search_for`	Yes

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 burden. It usefully discloses that name and date_to_search_for are 'Required by the API' and documents the take default/max (20), but says nothing about permissions, result limits beyond take, or the pagination semantics of skip. Adequate but incomplete for an unannotated tool.

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 pipe-separated keyword block in the first line is redundant filler, and the return statement is duplicated in both the intro and the 'Returns' section. Core content is front-loaded and readable, but it is not as tight as it could be.

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 not be explained, yet the description covers required inputs, formats, and pagination defaults. Missing only auth/scope details that would round out an unannotated search tool.

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: name is a partial match, date uses YYYY-MM-DD format, skip is pagination offset, take defaults to 20 and maxes at 20. All four parameters gain meaning absent from the bare schema.

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 (search historical members) and scopes it to Commons/Lords past MPs, distinguishing it from current-member tools. The keyword-style list ('past MPs, historic members, former members') adds some noise but reinforces the temporal distinction from siblings like get_member_by_name.

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?

Explicitly says when to use it ('researching members from historical periods or who were active on a specific date') and names two alternatives via 'See also'. No explicit when-not guidance, but the temporal condition is a clear selection criterion.

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