Updated 6 November 2026
What was actually said, and where the record is
How official verbatim records work, how to check a quotation against the transcript, and how parliaments, courts and governments correct the record.
Data tools
- Transcript sources
Where parliaments, Congress, the UN, governments and courts publish what officials said, whether it is verbatim or summary, and how fast it appears.
- Correction rules
A sourced table of who may correct parliamentary, congressional and UN records, what may be changed, and the time limits that apply.
- Glossary
Plain definitions of terms used in parliamentary, congressional, UN and court records, from Hansard and Blues to revise and extend and expunction.
- UK written statements
Written statements made by UK ministers to Parliament, with department, house, date, reference number and a link to the official text.
Official transcripts
- Government briefing transcripts compared Where the US State Department, the White House, the UN Spokesperson, Australia's Prime Minister and India's foreign ministry publish briefing transcripts.
- The Congressional Record explained How the US Congressional Record is made, its four parts, how members revise and extend remarks, and where committee hearing transcripts are published.
- UN meeting records explained How UN verbatim and summary records work, how to read their symbols, how delegations correct them, and how they differ from press releases and briefings.
- What is Hansard? Hansard is the official report of parliamentary debates. How it is edited, how fast it appears and how to search it in several parliaments.
Checking a quote
- Court transcripts: who can get them and when How court transcripts are produced and released in US federal courts, England and Wales, Australia's Federal Court and India's Supreme Court.
- How to check a quote against the official record A method for checking an official's words against Hansard, the Congressional Record, UN meeting records and briefing transcripts.
- Verbatim records and summary records The difference between verbatim, substantially verbatim and summary records, and which kind of official record supports a direct quote.
Corrections to the record
- How parliaments correct the official record Who may correct the official report in the UK, Scotland, Australia, Canada, the US House, Europe and India, what may change and by when.