The Conservative Research Department is an organisation founded by the British Conservative Party to develop party policy and to support the party leadership in promoting their policies and opposing those of rival parties.

The CRD was founded by Conservative Party Chairman Neville Chamberlain in 1929, who had been pressing the party leader Stanley Baldwin for a permanent staff for research. It was originally a small team which was led by Sir Joseph Ball and in 1931 Frank Pakenham joined to research the 'past misdeeds of Liberal politicians'. During the 1930s, the CRD remained relatively small; with the suspension of party hostilities during World War II, the CRD was itself suspended.

After the war, the Conservative Party engaged in a profound rethink of its policies following its severe election defeat. Rab Butler was appointed as Chairman of the CRD, and assembled a much larger and highly skilled team which included future Ministers such as Reginald Maudling, Enoch Powell and Iain Macleod. Together they produced The Right Road for Britain (1949) which reshaped party policy and was the basis for the Conservative governments of the 1950s. Butler as Chairman organised the Department effectively and kept it separate from the Conservative Central Office (it had offices in Old Queen Street and was often referred to by its address). Michael Fraser headed the CRD during the 1960s and early 1970s.

In the 1970s under Margaret Thatcher, the CRD was headed by Chris Patten who was known not to be a strong supporter of her economic policies. This gave rise to speculation that it would be downgraded in importance. It was moved within Central Office in 1981 and more closely integrated into the party, taking over more responsibility for publication of the Campaign Guide at each election.

Among other former members of the CRD staff are Oliver Letwin, Michael Portillo, Douglas Hurd and Julian Lewis.