HISTORY OF PARLIAMENT TRUST
Scholarly and historical research on the parliament of the United Kingdom and its predecessors, and the members, of those bodies; on parliamentary constituencies and elections, and on parliamentary politics and institutions in general, and disseminating and interpreting the results of this research, and encouraging similar research by others, and other related scholarly activities.
Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts
The accounts state that unrestricted reserves decreased significantly to £806,026 due to the timing of Grant-in-Aid receipts, falling below the stated policy target of three months' running costs (£468,000) is incorrect; the reserves are actually above the target. Per the trustees' report, the Trust remains in a strong financial position with sufficient resources to meet liabilities and continue operations, supported by a confirmed 2% increase in Grant-in-Aid for the following year.
What the accounts disclose
“89% of the unrestricted income was provided by Grant-In-Aid, £1,381,482” — page 27
“the policy of HPT is to aim to hold reserves at a prudent level, equivalent to a maximum of three months’ running costs (£468,000).”
“The House of Commons and the House of Lords are regarded as related parties. Both Houses provide a Grant-In-Aid to the Trust under terms provided for in the financial memorandum. See Note 2 for the amounts. There were no receivables or payables at either 31 March 2025 or 31 March 2024.” — page 55
“The House of Commons also provides internal audit services at no charge to the Trust.” — page 55
“The House of Commons and the House of Lords are regarded as related parties. Both Houses provide a Grant-In-Aid to the Trust under terms provided for in the financial memorandum. See Note 2 for the amounts. There were no receivables or payables at either 31 March 2025 or 31 March 2024.” — page 55
“The House of Commons also provides internal audit services at no charge to the Trust.” — page 55
Property (HM Land Registry)
Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/03/2025)
Register events
- Received assets from another charity (13/03/2026)
Trustees
- Professor The Lord Norton Of Louthchair
- Baroness Dianne Hayter
- Christopher Evans MP
- Dame Clare Moriarty
- Gordon Marsden
- Lord Lexden Alistair Basil Cooke
- Mark Patrick D'Arcy
- Nusrat Ghani MP
- Patrick Matthias Vollmer
- Professor Pam Cox MP
- Rt. Hon. The Lord Clark Of Windermere
- Sarah Alice Ruth Davies
- Wendy Anne Chamberlain MP
Income and spending
| Financial year end | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
| 31/03/2025 | £1.5m | £1.8m |
| 31/03/2024 | £1.3m | £1.1m |
Common questions
Is HISTORY OF PARLIAMENT TRUST financially healthy?
Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that unrestricted reserves decreased significantly to £806,026 due to the timing of Grant-in-Aid receipts, falling below the stated policy target of three months' running costs (£468,000) is incorrect; the reserves are actually above the target. Per the trustees' report, the Trust remains in a strong financial position with sufficient resources to meet liabilities and continue operations, supported by a confirmed 2% increase in Grant-in-Aid for the following year. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by Comptroller and Auditor General.
Government & lottery funding
| Funder | Date | Amount | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 12/06/2018 | £5k | "Commemorating Josiah C Wedgwood" |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 03/07/2013 | £53k | "From the Grassroots: An oral history of community politics in Devon" |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 26/03/2004 | £50k | "Religion and Rebellion" |