Treaty Information Section maintains a database of UK treaties, which holds details of all the treaties to which the UK is, or has been, a party. There are currently about 14,000 records on the database, which was introduced in 1987. Prior to that date, records were kept on manual registers, the first of which was opened in 1835. The database is continually updated.

The database forms the basis of the Treaty Enquiry Service, which is able to provide advice on treaties which involve the UK, and its Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories. In addition to the database, Treaty Information Section hold historical indexes and finding aids.

It should be noted that Treaty section staff are not legally trained, and are not therefore able to provide an interpretation of a treaty, or advise on its applicability to a particular situation. Advice can however generally be given on whether a treaty has entered into force, details of the signatories and contracting parties, together with dates of signature, ratification, approval, acceptance, accession, succession and withdrawals or denunciations. Reservations, declarations or objections can usually be identified, and where applicable, the depositary.

Treaty texts are not generally available (but see Publication of UK Treaties), but Treaty Section can usually provide a publication reference.

For information about those treaties for which the UK acts as a depositary, see depositary for 36 multilateral treaties.

In the case of multilateral treaties for which the UK is not the depositary, it is recommended that their current status is also confirmed with the depositary Government or Authority.

For further information and research, see also the Lists and Links pages of this site.