A gap in the chronology indicates that no conference was held in that year. The minutes etc. for the conferences of 1888, 1889, 1941, 1943 and 1945 have not survived.

Up to 1946, manuscript minutes of Conference proceedings were kept, often incorporating newspaper cuttings. The minutes included the annual report of the National Union's Central Council, lists of delegates attending, and a record of motions debated, annotated to show which of those were carried.

After 1946 the 'minutes' were published, and included the programme for each session of Conference, a verbatim report of speeches made (including contributions from the floor), and resolutions passed. The annual reports of Central Council continued to be included until 1958. From 1947 to 1977 these volumes were indexed by subject and speaker.

From 1978, bound typescript transcripts of platform speeches made by Front-Bench ministers/shadow ministers only were recorded, along with a list of resolutions passed. From 1993, resolutions were no longer included.