What data is available in Query builder?

Query Builder is a comprehensive tool for searching and analysing legislation available on legislation.gov.uk. This guide outlines the data coverage and availability across different types of legislation.

What Can Be Searched?

Query Builder searches through what we call the "best collection" - this means it automatically searches in the best version of each document this is:

  1. The latest revised version of legislation (if available)
  2. If no revised version exists, it searches the original enacted version
  3. If neither of those exist, it checks any available PDF versions

Data Limitations 

Historical Legislation (Pre-1988)

Before 1988, legislation was only available in paper format. While some older legislation has been digitised, many documents from before 1988 either:

Are not available on the website at all

Only exist as PDFs and therefore have limited searchable information (like title and year)

PDF Documents

When legislation is only available as a PDF, you can only search its basic details (metadata) such as:

  • Title
  • Year
  • Document number
  • Other basic information

You cannot search the actual text content of PDF-only documents

We're continually working to digitise more historical legislation. The availability of searchable content improves over time as more documents are converted to digital formats

Data Coverage 

Enacted Legislation

Recent Legislation (2011 onwards)

  • All enacted legislation published from 2011 onwards is available in full
  • Documents are available in both print and standard formats
  • Complete coverage for all legislation types

Pre-2011 Legislation

  • Most legislation types are complete from 1988 onwards
  • Some pre-1988 legislation has been digitised, but coverage is not complete

Notable exceptions:

  • UK Local Acts: Complete from 1991 onwards
  • Northern Ireland Statutory Rules: Complete from 1996 onwards
  • Non-print secondary legislation is only available in Original King's Printer PDF/Enacted-Print formats

Revised Legislation

UK Primary Legislation

Coverage includes revised versions of all UK primary legislation that was at least partially in force on February 1, 1991. This applies to:

  • UK Public General Acts (UKPGA)
  • Acts of the Scottish Parliament (ASP)
  • Acts of the National Assembly for Wales (ANAW)
  • Measures of the National Assembly for Wales (MWA)
  • Church Measures (UKCM)
  • Acts of the Old Scottish Parliament 1424-1707 (AOSP)
  • Acts of the English Parliament 1267-1706 (AEP)
  • Acts of the Old Irish Parliament 1495-1800 (AIP)
  • Acts of the Parliament of Great Britain 1707-1800 (APGB)

Northern Ireland Legislation

Coverage includes revised versions of all primary legislation specifically applying to Northern Ireland that were at least partially in force on January 1, 2006. This includes:

  • Acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly (NIA)
  • Northern Ireland Orders in Council (NISI)
  • Measures of the Northern Ireland Assembly 1974 (MNIA)
  • Acts of the Northern Ireland Parliament 1921-1972 (APNI)

Important Notes on Revised Legislation

Historical Versions
  • For qualifying legislation, historical revised versions are available from the base date to the present e.g. a 1925 UKPGA in force on 01/02/1991 will have:
    • A 1991 version incorporating all amendments up to 1991
    • Subsequent versions reflecting any changes from 1991 to present
Amendment Status
  • There may be delays between new amendments being made and their incorporation into the website text
  • Amendment status is indicated by:
    • A "changes to legislation" banner at the top of document content
    • CLML XML metadata in the website API version (not included in bulk download versions)

Document Versions and Language

Available Versions

  • Original (as enacted/made)
  • Current version
  • Point-in-time versions (specific dates)

Language Options

  • English (default)
  • Welsh (where available)
    • Revised Welsh legislation when present
    • Enacted version when no revised version exists

EU Data Completeness

General EU Legislation Coverage

www.legislation.gov.uk includes all EUR-Lex documents that meet these criteria:

  • Classified as EU regulation, decision, or directive in EUR-Lex's "sector" scheme
  • Published in the L series Official Journal of the European Union with assigned number
  • Available in English
  • Available in PDF and/or Formex XML formats

Format Availability

  • PDF Format: The majority of EU legislation is available

XML format: Generally available for documents from 2004 onwards. All available XML has been converted to CLML This means that all regular www.legislation.gov.uk formats and features derived from CLML XML will be present for recent EU legislation data as well as UK legislation data.

EU Treaties 

Four EU treaties (eut) have been published to www.legislation.gov.uk . 

  • Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union:

The most recent revised version is available as CLML XML (and all derived formats) and non-dynamic PDF. All earlier revised points-in-time are available in non-dynamic PDF format.

  • Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community
  • Treaty on European Union

The most recent revised versions are available as CLML XML (and all derived formats) and non-dynamic PDF. All earlier revised points-in-time are available in non-dynamic PDF format as are the original EU Official Journal versions.

  • Agreement on the European Economic Area

The adopted and most recent revised versions are available as CLML XML (and all derived formats) and non-dynamic PDF. All earlier revised points-in-time are available in non-dynamic PDF format as is the original EU Official Journal version.

 

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