Hansard

Official record of parliamentary debates

Open Parliament API

Parliamentary data belongs to the people. Our Open Parliament API provides programmatic access to Hansard records, enabling researchers, journalists, civic technologists, and citizens to build applications that strengthen democratic participation.

Good Governance & Transparency

Open access to parliamentary records is fundamental to good governance. When citizens can easily access and analyse what their representatives say and how they vote, it creates accountability and builds public trust in democratic institutions. Transparency isn't just about publishing records — it's about making them accessible, searchable, and usable in ways that empower civic engagement.

Modernising Parliaments

Democratic institutions must keep pace with a rapidly changing world. Modern parliaments are embracing technology to enhance legislative workflows, enable real-time information sharing, and ensure data sovereignty. By providing structured access to parliamentary data through APIs, we support the evolution of how citizens interact with their government — enabling more informed policymaking, increased public engagement, and transparent legislative processes.

Connectivity & Open Data

The Open Parliament API is part of a growing network of parliamentary data systems across the Caribbean and beyond. This connectivity allows for cross-jurisdictional research, comparative analysis of legislative approaches, and knowledge sharing between parliaments. Open data platforms strengthen connections between legislators and the public, helping elected officials better understand constituent needs while reinvigorating civic participation in democratic processes.

Available Data

The API provides access to:

  • Sittings — Parliamentary session records with dates, summaries, and transcripts
  • Speeches — Individual contributions with full text and speaker attribution
  • Members — Current and former parliamentarians with party and constituency data
  • Topics — Debate subjects and parliamentary business items
  • Bills — Legislation tracking from introduction through royal assent
  • Committees — Committee meetings and member participation
  • Search — Full-text search across all parliamentary records
  • Statistics — Aggregated data on parliamentary activity

Example Use Cases

  • Civic Applications — Build tools that help citizens track their representatives
  • Academic Research — Analyse parliamentary discourse and voting patterns
  • Journalism — Create data-driven stories about legislative activity
  • AI & Machine Learning — Train models on parliamentary language and procedure
  • Integration — Connect Hansard data with other government systems

Getting API Access

API access is available to developers, researchers, journalists, and organisations working on projects that promote transparency and civic engagement.

To request API keys, please contact your relevant IT department or Hansard administrator.

Include a brief description of your project and intended use of the data. API keys are issued for legitimate civic, research, and journalistic purposes.

API Documentation

Complete API documentation is available online, including endpoint references, request/response examples, authentication details, and code samples.

Technical Overview

  • Format — RESTful JSON API
  • Authentication — API key required in request header
  • Rate Limits — Fair use policy applies
  • Pagination — Standard page/per_page parameters
  • Filtering — Date ranges, member IDs, topic types, and more

Open Source

We believe in building in the open. The Hansard platform is developed with open-source principles, enabling knowledge sharing between parliaments and allowing the civic tech community to contribute improvements. This approach de-risks technology projects and ensures that solutions developed for one parliament can benefit others.

Attribution & Terms

Data accessed through the API should be attributed to the official Hansard of the relevant parliament. Please respect rate limits and use the API responsibly. Commercial use may require additional authorisation — contact the Hansard administrator for details.