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Hansard

Hansard is the record of what you and other MPs say in the Chamber, Westminster Hall and committees. It’s also known as the Official Report. It’s a substantially verbatim report, which means it’s edited, consistent with a house style, to remove repetitions and redundancies, and to correct obvious mistakes, while leaving out nothing that adds to the meaning of the speech or illustrates the argument. The House of Lords has its own Hansard.

After speaking, you’ll be asked for your notes and may also receive queries about names, figures or quotations, via the doorkeepers. Prompt responses assist greatly in the timely production of reports.

To check a speech in the Chamber, go to the Managing Editors room in the Palace between 1½ and 2½ hours after you’ve spoken, or up to one hour after the House finishes if this is earlier. Your speech can also be emailed to you to check. You can phone the Chamber Managing Editors to arrange this.

To check a Westminster Hall speech, call the Westminster Hall Sub-Editors. They can also arrange for the speech to be emailed to you.

To check a speech from a public bill, delegated legislation or European committee, you should make arrangements, before or after the meeting, with the member of the Hansard team in the room, who sits at the end of the platform to the Chair’s left. Or you can call the Committees Managing Editor.

Contact an expert

Contact an expert

Contact: Hansard Chamber Managing Editors

  • Extension: x2350

Contact: Westminster Hall Sub-Editors

  • Extension: x5522

Contact: Committees Managing Editor

  • Extension: x5762