ANN ARBOR, Mich., May 21, 2007 - ProQuest CSA has completed the digitization of the House of Commons Parliamentary Papers from 1979-2004. Now, all papers from 1801 to the present day are available. The digitization of over 200 years of parliamentary papers - 187,809 individual papers containing over 9.5 million pages - has greatly enhanced the availability of these vital, fascinating documents, and unlocked new opportunities for researchers.

"The House of Commons Parliamentary Papers is vital to the historical record of Britain, its former Colonies and the wider world" said Dan Burnstone, Director of Publishing, Chadwyck-Healey. "They are among the richest and most detailed primary sources for the history of the past two centuries, and are fundamental to an understanding of current legislation, policy making and the political environment. House of Commons Parliamentary Papers online, with searchable full text, and detailed subject indexing, makes it possible to fully exploit the enormous potential of this resource for the first time."

The content made available in this new release covers a quarter of a century, from 1979-2004. This period saw such events as wars in the Falkland Islands and Iraq, the return of Hong Kong to China, the formation of the European Union, and end of apartheid in South Africa.  Users can trace the progress of arms control and energy conservation, and find materials relating to topics ranging from AIDs to the independence of Zimbabwe.

The House of Commons Parliamentary Papers is a comprehensive collection, including all of the papers issued by the House of Commons after 1801, in all formats:  Bills, Reports of Committees, Reports of Commissioners, Accounts and Papers and Command Papers (included within the Reports of Commissioners and Accounts and Papers).  The Parliamentary papers influenced public opinion and social and political philosophy, and provided a forum for ideas for hundreds of thinkers, among them Marconi, Keynes, and Beveridge. They are the working documents of government for all areas of social, political, economic and foreign policy, showing how issues were explored and legislation was formed.

About ProQuest
ProQuest creates specialized information resources and technologies that propel successful research, discovery, and lifelong learning. A global leader in serving libraries of all types, ProQuest offers the expertise of such respected brands as Chadwyck-Healey™, UMI®, SIRS®, and eLibrary®. With Serials Solutions®, Ulrich's™, RefWorks®, COS™, Dialog® and now Bowker® part of the ProQuest brand family, the company supports the breadth of the information community with innovative discovery solutions that power the business of books and the best in research experience.

More than a content provider or aggregator, ProQuest is an information partner, creating indispensable research solutions that connect people and information. Through innovative, user-centered discovery technology, ProQuest offers billions of pages of global content that includes historical newspapers, dissertations, and uniquely relevant resources for researchers of any age and sophistication—including content not likely to be digitized by others. Inspired by its customers and their end users, ProQuest is working toward a future that blends information accessibility with community to further enhance learning and encourage lifelong enrichment.

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