Dear Prime Minister,
I have had the privilege of serving as a Minister in Conservative Governments under your Leadership for a period of 10 years since 1979. This included two separate spells as a Minister in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and, until now, 5 years as Minister for the Arts and the Civil Service.
I am proud to have been closely associated with the negotiations for the Independence of Zimbabwe and the Hong Kong Agreement. I was most grateful for your generosity in inviting me to return to the Foreign Office following my resignation over the Falkland Islands invasion.
It has been a special honour to have played a part in helping the arts to expand with increasing public and private sector support. The arts are rising to the challenge of the times and will do much to enrich the quality of life in the '90s.
I am equally pleased to have worked with you on the creation of agencies in the Civil Service. These far-reaching reforms will help to improve still further the quality of service to the public.
I mentioned to you recently that I have much enjoyed the job but I feel I have done all that I usefully can for the arts and the Civil Service. It therefore makes sense for me to hand over now to a new Minister.
I am also most grateful to you for giving me the chance to serve in a Government which will be seen to have helped to change the face of Britain and to have given the Country a new sense of confidence.
I look forward to continuing to work for the Conservative Party under your Leadership.
Yours ever
Richard [end p1]
Dear Richard LuceRichard,
Thank you for your letter of 23 July in which you indicate your wish to leave the Government. I am very sorry to see you go after ten years, but fully understand your reasons for wanting to do so.
You have given exceptional service to the Government, first as a Minister in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and for the last five years as Minister for the Arts and the Civil Service. After the invasion of the Falkland Islands in 1982 you very honourably, and characteristically, felt you had to resign. I accepted your resignation only with great reluctance and so was delighted when you agreed to re-join the Government in 1985.
In both your roles as Minister for the Arts and Minister for the Civil Service you have recorded very major achievements. In the arts, you have succeeded in mobilising greater private sector support than ever before at a time when public sector support was increasing also. You have done a great deal to foster the notion of partnership. The number of galleries built and refurbished in the last five years, and the rising attendances at the performing arts, will be a lasting reminder of your stewardship. In the Civil Service, you have presided over one of the most far-reaching reforms ever undertaken, as the growing number of Agencies testifies. We are beginning to see the benefits of this initiative in terms of better service to the public. [end p2]
I know I can count on your continuing support. I wish you and Rose LuceRose well for the future.
Warm good wishes
Yours ever
Margaret