Archive

MT's official files as Prime Minister, 1979-90

MT's official files as PM can be read on this site as they are released, in full and free to all - the confidential files originally stored at No.10, the core record of her premiership.

The files have been copied at the British National Archives (TNA) at Kew in London and can be downloaded precisely as they appear in the reading room.

We are doing something more to help people make sense of this mass of information. The files are subject-based, logically enough, but that system makes it difficult to reconstruct the flow of paper across the Prime Minister’s desk at any point in time, depriving us of a sense of context, of the political cross-winds, some of them overwhelming.

To combat this effect we are uploading a large selection of the most important documents from these files – thousands in total - to our powerful site database. You can search and sort by date, subject and other parameters, getting as close as anyone can now get to reconstructing the Prime Minister’s daily "Red Boxes", the rich diet of foreign and domestic policy papers submitted to her by the No.10 Private Office.

List and links to the PM’s files

Below are links to the downloadable files in numerical order. The subject terms are those used in the original filing system.

An average file has around 200 pages.

You can read here an account of how filing worked at No.10, and the system for archiving MT’s Prime Ministerial papers, both of which had their quirks.

Chancellor of the Exchequer’s Private Office files, 1979-1989

1979-89: Chancellor’s Private Office files [links to hundreds of digitised files from the Chancellorships of Sir Geoffrey Howe and Nigel Lawson]

Engagement Diaries

An alternative way through the material is to read MT’s engagement diaries, jumping day to day.

The engagement diaries link directly to relevant documents in the site database, so this is a good way to recover the perspective from the Red Box.

Showing items 1201 - 1250 of 3726

Per page:
File name File title Begins Ends Release date Any docs withheld? Classification Pages
PREM19/1201 Economic policy (International banking system) (Part 4) Begins: 1984 Mar 5 Ends: 1984 Dec 31 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 464
PREM19/1202 Economic policy (Review of policy on film finance; taxation of film industry; films policy review) (Part 1) Begins: 1979 Jul 19 Ends: 1984 Dec 13 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Confidential Pages: 247
PREM19/1203 Economic policy (Policy on small firms; administrative and legislative burdens; Loan Guarantee Scheme) (Part 4) Begins: 1983 Oct 5 Ends: 1984 Aug 1 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Confidential Pages: 213
PREM19/1204 Economic policy (Top Salaries Review Body (TSRB) reports on salaries of senior civil servants, senior members of the armed services and judges; salaries of Members of Parliament; TSRB pension awards) (Part 5) Begins: 1983 May 3 Ends: 1984 Feb 27 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 242
PREM19/1205 Economic policy (Future of International Computers Limited (ICL)) (Part 2) Begins: 1981 Mar 10 Ends: 1984 Feb 16 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 291
PREM19/1206 Economic policy (G7 Summit - London) (Part 14) Begins: 1983 Jan 28 Ends: 1984 Feb 29 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 327
PREM19/1207 Economic policy (G7 Summit - London) (Part 15) Begins: 1984 Mar 2 Ends: 1984 May 21 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Any docs withheld? 2 Classification: Secret Pages: 368
PREM19/1208 Economic policy (G7 Summit - London) (Part 16A) Begins: 1984 May 22 Ends: 1984 May 30 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 212
PREM19/1209 Economic policy (G7 Summit - London) (Part 16B) Begins: 1984 May 29 Ends: 1984 Jun 1 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 122
PREM19/1210 Economic policy (G7 Summit - London) (Part 16C) Begins: 1984 Jun 1 Ends: 1984 Jun 7 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 140
PREM19/1211 Economic policy (G7 Summit - London) (Part 17) Begins: 1984 Jun 8 Ends: 1984 Nov 23 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 254
PREM19/1212 Education (Future of the Inner London Education Authority (ILEA)) (Part 3) Begins: 1980 Dec 5 Ends: 1984 Mar 30 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 212
PREM19/1213 Education (Reorganisation of London University: role of Somerset House) Begins: 1982 Aug 20 Ends: 1984 Sep 27 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Unclassified Pages: 24
PREM19/1214 Education (Secondary school education; management of local authority higher education; reform of Schools Council; raising standards in education; education in Liverpool; Green Paper on school government) (Part 2) Begins: 1982 Mar 24 Ends: 1984 May 24 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 259
PREM19/1215 Energy (Energy policy: nuclear power policy; fast reactor policy; Sizewell inquiry and procurement; structure of nuclear industry) (Part 8) Begins: 1982 Oct 27 Ends: 1984 Nov 30 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 339
PREM19/1216 Environmental affairs (Environmental policy: reports of Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution; industrial pollution and acid rain; possible British initiative) (Part 1) Begins: 1979 Sep 4 Ends: 1984 May 31 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Confidential Pages: 267
PREM19/1217 Environmental affairs (Environmental policy: acid rain, pollution control; Environment Committee report; agriculture and conservation; reports of the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution) (Part 2) Begins: 1984 Jun 1 Ends: 1984 Oct 31 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Confidential Pages: 244
PREM19/1218 Environmental affairs (Norfolk Broads conservation: Limpenhoe and Halvergate marshes) Begins: 1984 Jun 21 Ends: 1984 Jul 3 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Confidential Pages: 14
PREM19/1219 European policy (Presidency of European Commission; UK Commissioners; official posts in Commission; European Secretariat in Cabinet Office) (Part 1) Begins: 1980 May 29 Ends: 1984 Feb 6 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 287
PREM19/1220 European policy (Presidency of European Commission; UK Commissioners; official posts in Commission) (Part 2) Begins: 1984 Mar 14 Ends: 1984 Dec 31 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Confidential Pages: 380
PREM19/1221 European policy (European Council meeting, Brussels, March 1984) (Part 17) Begins: 1983 Jul 8 Ends: 1984 Mar 22 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Confidential Pages: 306
PREM19/1222 European policy (European Council meeting, Fontainebleau (Paris), June 1984) (Part 18) Begins: 1983 Jul 8 Ends: 1984 Jul 13 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Confidential Pages: 233
PREM19/1223 European policy (European Council meeting, Dublin, December 1984) (Part 19) Begins: 1984 Nov 28 Ends: 1984 Dec 24 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 209
PREM19/1224 European policy (Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)) (Part 12) Begins: 1983 Dec 1 Ends: 1984 Dec 20 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 354
PREM19/1225 European policy (European Community budget; future of Europe) (Part 22) Begins: 1983 Nov 1 Ends: 1984 Jan 30 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Confidential Pages: 291
PREM19/1226 European policy (European Community budget; future of Europe) (Part 23A) Begins: 1984 Feb 1 Ends: 1984 Mar 1 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Confidential Pages: 139
PREM19/1227 European policy (European Community budget; future of Europe) (Part 23B) Begins: 1984 Mar 1 Ends: 1984 Mar 30 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 188
PREM19/1228 European policy (European Community budget; future of Europe) (Part 24) Begins: 1984 Apr 2 Ends: 1984 May 31 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 334
PREM19/1229 European policy (European Community budget; future of Europe) (Part 25) Begins: 1984 Jun 1 Ends: 1984 Jun 28 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Confidential Pages: 291
PREM19/1230 European policy (European Community budget; future of Europe) (Part 26) Begins: 1984 Jul 7 Ends: 1984 Jul 31 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 238
PREM19/1231 European policy (European Community budget; future of Europe) (Part 27) Begins: 1984 Aug 1 Ends: 1984 Oct 31 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 392
PREM19/1232 European policy (British official use of terms, 'European Parliament' and 'European Assembly'; representation from Lord Bethell, Member of the European Parliament (MEP)) Begins: 1983 Jul 21 Ends: 1984 Aug 29 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Unclassified Pages: 17
PREM19/1233 European policy (Public attitudes to Europe) Begins: 1980 Jun 18 Ends: 1984 Jun 2 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Confidential Pages: 140
PREM19/1234 European policy (Elections to European Parliament) (Part 1) Begins: 1979 May 16 Ends: 1984 Mar 19 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Confidential Pages: 47
PREM19/1235 Foreign policy (Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC) assessments summaries produced by Sir Percy Cradock) Begins: 1983 Mar 16 Ends: 1984 Nov 1 Date of release: Retained Classification: Retained Sec 3.4
PREM19/1236 Foreign policy (Meeting of South Pacific Forum; correspondence with Bob Hawke, Prime Minister of Australia, on a single regional organisation in South Pacific) Begins: 1980 Jul 17 Ends: 1984 Apr 24 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Confidential Pages: 36
PREM19/1237 Foreign policy (Prime Minister's visit to the Far East in September 1984: Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Indonesia - trip cancelled) Begins: 1984 Aug 3 Ends: 1984 Nov 23 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Any docs withheld? 1 Classification: Confidential Pages: 156
PREM19/1238 Foreign policy (United Nations Law of the Sea Convention (UNLOSC)) (Part 2) Begins: 1983 Jan 12 Ends: 1984 Dec 31 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Confidential Pages: 257
PREM19/1239 Foreign policy (Seminars on foreign policy at Chequers, October 1984) Begins: 1984 Jun 1 Ends: 1984 Oct 19 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Any docs withheld? 1 Classification: Secret Pages: 455
PREM19/1240 (annex) France (Visits to UK by President Mitterrand; briefing for May 1982 meeting of Franco-British Council in Edinburgh) (Part 3) Begins: 1981 Sep 11 Ends: 1984 Feb 29 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 171
PREM19/1240 (main part) France (Visits to UK by President Mitterrand; meeting of Franco-British Council; Prime Minister's meetings with Prime Minister Pierre Mauroy and Minister for European Affairs Roland Dumas) (Part 3) Begins: 1981 Sep 11 Ends: 1984 Feb 29 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Top Secret Pages: 327
PREM19/1241 France (State visit to UK by President Mitterrand, October 1984) (Part 4) Begins: 1984 Mar 1 Ends: 1984 Nov 2 Date of release: Retained Classification: Temporarily retained by Department
PREM19/1242 France (Prime Minister's visits to France; meetings with President Mitterrand; Anglo-French Summits) (Part 3) Begins: 1982 Sep 21 Ends: 1984 Apr 18 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 370
PREM19/1243 France (Prime Minister's visits to France, May 1984 and November 1984) (Part 4) Begins: 1984 May 2 Ends: 1984 Dec 11 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Any docs withheld? 2 Classification: Confidential Pages: 234
PREM19/1244 Germany (Anglo-German relations) (Part 2) Begins: 1982 Mar 8 Ends: 1984 Sep 28 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Confidential Pages: 357
PREM19/1245a Germany (Visits to UK by Chancellor Helmut Kohl; Anglo-German Summit) (Part 8A) Begins: 1983 Oct 11 Ends: 1984 Aug 29 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 194
PREM19/1245b Germany (Visits to UK by Chancellor Helmut Kohl; Anglo-German Summit) (Part 8B) Begins: 1983 Oct 11 Ends: 1984 Aug 29 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 261
PREM19/1246 Germany (Visit to UK by former Chancellor Helmut Schmidt, October 1983; meeting with Prime Minister) Begins: 1982 Nov 11 Ends: 1984 Jan 5 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Confidential Pages: 27
PREM19/1247 Gibraltar (Policy) (Part 4) Begins: 1983 Jul 1 Ends: 1984 Mar 20 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 275
PREM19/1248 Government machinery (Review of government statistical services, study led by Sir Derek Rayner; control of government statistical surveys) Begins: 1979 Oct 10 Ends: 1984 Mar 6 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Confidential Pages: 320
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