From today, visitors to The National Archives can request access to records from Parliament’s Archive which are now housed at Kew.
The Beaverbrook Library Collections which has historically been the most requested set of records, will be available first. It comprises papers from major political figures including David Lloyd George, Lord Beaverbrook and Andrew Bonar Law.
All other collections will become available in phases between January and June 2026. These include Journals and Proceedings of both Houses, Acts of Parliament, architectural and photographic collections, and judicial records. Our planned release schedule along with more information about the new service can be found on this web page.
To access the collection, please check The National Archives catalogue, Discovery, to ensure that the record you wish to see is available before booking a visit. While we re-establish the full service over the coming months, we require a minimum of four working days’ notice to produce the records. This allows time to prepare orders and incorporate any documents stored offsite. Records can be viewed free of charge in our reading rooms.
We are open Tuesday to Saturday but please check our full opening times and closure dates when planning your visit.
We have records specialists available with knowledge about Parliament’s records who can provide help and suggestions on how to do your research. In addition, we have an online research guide which will help you find the records you are interested in.
