Parliamentary Copyright

Parliamentary copyright was first created in the United Kingdom by the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. Prior to this legislation being passed, what is now covered by Parliamentary copyright was Crown copyright.

Parliamentary copyright was created with a lifespan of 50 years, the same as that for published Crown copyright materials. The 1988 Act defines it as covering, "Where a work is made by or under the direction or control of the House of Commons or the House of Lords..."