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 901 - 950 of 3726

Per page:
File name File title Begins Ends Release date Any docs withheld? Classification Pages
PREM19/901 Saudi Arabia (Visit to UK by King Khalid of Saudi Arabia, June 1981: talks with Prime Minister) Begins: 1981 Mar 3 Ends: 1981 Aug 3 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Any docs withheld? 3 Classification: Confidential Pages: 145
PREM19/902 Science and Technology (Government procurement of computers and related equipment; Prime Minister’s reception for representatives of the computer industry) Begins: 1981 Mar 11 Ends: 1982 Feb 15 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Confidential Pages: 131
PREM19/903 Science and Technology (Higher education and new technologies; manpower and technology transfer; Prime Minister’s lunch for industry representatives) Begins: 1982 Mar 25 Ends: 1982 Apr 2 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Restricted Pages: 17
PREM19/904 Science and Technology (Presentation on information technology) Begins: 1982 Feb 18 Ends: 1982 May 20 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Unclassified Pages: 47
PREM19/905 Scotland (Scottish Milk Marketing Board (SMMB): correspondence with Dr W G Jack about SMMB’s decision to extend the operation of its tanker fleet) Begins: 1979 Sep 26 Ends: 1982 Jan 22 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Unclassified Pages: 161
PREM19/906 Security (Case of Professor Hugh Hambleton, Canadian citizen and self-confessed Soviet spy) Begins: 1980 Jun 26 Ends: 1982 Dec 7 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Any docs withheld? 1 Classification: Secret Pages: 53
PREM19/907 Security (German occupation of the Channel Islands: allegations by Solomon Steckoll against Channel Islands officials) Begins: 1980 Sep 24 Ends: 1982 Mar 11 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Unclassified Pages: 27
PREM19/908 Security (Information provided to Sunday Times by a former Security Service officer) Begins: 1982 Jan 24 Ends: 1982 Jan 25 Date of release: Retained Sec 3.4 Classification: Unknown
PREM19/909 Soviet Union (Soviet General Staff Command exercise) Begins: 1982 Jun 24 Ends: 1982 Jul 15 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Top Secret Pages: 6
PREM19/910 Security (Publication of book by Gordon Welchman (former head of Hut 6) called 'The Hut Six Story' on wartime German Enigma cryptanalysis: reactions of US and UK governments) Begins: 1982 Apr 30 Ends: 1982 Jul 27 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Secret Pages: 8
PREM19/911 Security (Provisional IRA: acquisition of weapons) Begins: 1982 Aug 26 Ends: 1982 Sep 7 Date of release: Retained Sec 3.4 Classification: Unknown
PREM19/912 Security ('Doomsday Minus Four' by Larry Clark) Begins: 1982 Jan 14 Ends: 1982 Jan 15 Date of release: Retained Sec 3.4 Classification: Unknown
PREM19/913 Security (Labour Party discussion document on the Security Services) Begins: 1981 Feb 6 Ends: 1982 Feb 28 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Secret Pages: 13
PREM19/914 Security (Concern over leakages of official information to journalists Peter Hennessy and Peter Stothard) Begins: 1981 Jun 1 Ends: 1981 Jun 5 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Unclassified Pages: 7
PREM19/915 Security (Fire precautions at Chequers; fire in telecommunications room, September 1982) Begins: 1978 Feb 23 Ends: 1982 Sep 20 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Unclassified Pages: 59
PREM19/916 Security (Resignation of Commander Michael Trestrail, Queen's Police Officer; homosexual relationship with male prostitute; investigation by Lord Bridge of Harwich into security aspects) Begins: 1982 Jul 19 Ends: 1982 Nov 25 Date of release: 2013 Nov 20 Classification: Secret Pages: 82
PREM19/917 Security (Security at GCHQ: representations from Nicholas Edwards MP; untimely deaths of two GCHQ employees (Jack Wolfenden in an aircraft accident) and Ernest Peter Brockway (suspected suicide); question of a 'radio ham' who lived for 11 years with a translator at GCHQ) Begins: 1982 Nov 23 Ends: 1982 Dec 24 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Any docs withheld? 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 16
PREM19/918 Security (Activities of Leo Long) Begins: 1981 Nov 2 Ends: 1982 Mar 23 Date of release: Retained Sec 3.4 Classification: Unknown
PREM19/919 Security (Security at Chequers; reports on break-in (September 1966); mishandled mail (December 1972); Territorial Army exercise (June 1973); low-flying over Chequers (February 1974)) Begins: 1966 Oct 7 Ends: 1982 Oct 18 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Secret Pages: 23
PREM19/920 Social services (Uprating of social security benefits) (Part 1) Begins: 1979 May 17 Ends: 1980 Jan 10 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Secret Pages: 79
PREM19/921 Social services (Uprating of social security benefits) (Part 2) Begins: 1980 Jan 22 Ends: 1981 Apr 8 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Secret Pages: 176
PREM19/922 Social services (Employers' statutory sick pay scheme) Begins: 1979 Dec 6 Ends: 1981 Nov 11 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Secret Pages: 85
PREM19/923 South Africa (Internal situation; relations with UK) (Part 2) Begins: 1980 Sep 8 Ends: 1982 Oct 21 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Secret Pages: 212
PREM19/924 Soviet Union (Trade relations: credit agreement; uranium enrichment contract; grain sales; controls on strategic exports) (Part 1) Begins: 1979 Sep 27 Ends: 1982 Mar 22 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Secret Pages: 235
PREM19/925 Soviet Union (Trade relations: credit restrictions; United States sanctions against Siberian pipeline - impact on John Brown Engineering and other European companies; controls on strategic exports) (Part 2) Begins: 1982 Apr 19 Ends: 1982 Nov 11 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Secret Pages: 276
PREM19/926 Soviet Union (Relations between the UK and Soviet Union) (Part 1) Begins: 1979 May 23 Ends: 1982 Apr 5 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Top Secret Pages: 214
PREM19/927 Sport (Sporting relations with Argentina; possible withdrawal of UK teams from Football World Cup 1982) Begins: 1982 Apr 29 Ends: 1982 Aug 25 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Secret Pages: 19
PREM19/928 Trade (UK trading policies; non-tariff barriers; effects on UK industry of open trading system; General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) Ministerial meeting) (Part 2) Begins: 1981 Nov 4 Ends: 1982 Oct 28 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Confidential Pages: 235
PREM19/929 Trade (Difficulties of textile and clothing industries; closure of mills; low pay in the industry; policy on imports; quota issue) (Part 2) Begins: 1980 Jun 30 Ends: 1982 Apr 23 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Confidential Pages: 207
PREM19/930 Trade unions (Trade union education and training: continuance of government grant) Begins: 1979 Dec 13 Ends: 1982 Mar 1 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Confidential Pages: 71
PREM19/931 Transport (Railway policy: British Rail pay dispute) (Part 2) Begins: 1981 Aug 4 Ends: 1982 Feb 9 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Secret Pages: 264
PREM19/932 Transport (Railway policy: British Rail pay dispute; investigation into 'flexible rostering' by Railway Staff National Tribunal under Lord McCarthy; railway finances review by Sir David Serpell) (Part 3) Begins: 1982 Feb 10 Ends: 1982 May 7 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Secret Pages: 340
PREM19/933 Transport (Railway policy: British Rail unions' threatened industrial action; contingency planning) (Part 4) Begins: 1982 May 10 Ends: 1982 Jun 25 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Secret Pages: 283
PREM19/934 Transport (Railway policy: British Rail unions' industrial action; contingency planning; McCarthy report on railway productivity and pay; rail fare increases) (Part 5) Begins: 1982 Jun 28 Ends: 1982 Sep 30 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Secret Pages: 265
PREM19/935 Transport (Private finance for trunk road construction) Begins: 1982 Feb 22 Ends: 1982 May 25 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Confidential Pages: 37
PREM19/936 Transport (Armitage Report on Lorries, People and the Environment; draft White Paper) (Part 1) Begins: 1979 May 15 Ends: 1982 Sep 30 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Confidential Pages: 197
PREM19/937 Transport (Fixed Channel Link (Channel Tunnel); economic considerations; discussions with French) (Part 1) Begins: 1979 Jul 24 Ends: 1982 Feb 8 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Confidential Pages: 207
PREM19/938 United Nations (North/South Global Negotiations) Begins: 1980 Mar 17 Ends: 1982 Jan 8 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Confidential Pages: 116
PREM19/939 United Nations (Election of United Nations Secretary-General) Begins: 1981 May 5 Ends: 1982 Feb 8 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Confidential Pages: 106
PREM19/940 United Nations (Visits to UK by Secretary-General, Kurt Waldheim: meetings with Prime Minister) (Part 1) Begins: 1979 May 23 Ends: 1981 May 13 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Any docs withheld? 2 Classification: Secret Pages: 293
PREM19/941 USA (Economic situation in the United States) (Part 1) Begins: 1979 May 15 Ends: 1981 Sep 30 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Secret Pages: 275
PREM19/942 USA (Visit to UK by President Reagan, June 1982) (Part 1) Begins: 1981 Jan 21 Ends: 1982 Apr 30 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Any docs withheld? 14 Classification: Confidential Pages: 256
PREM19/943 USA (Visit to UK by President Reagan, June 1982: meetings with Prime Minister) (Part 2) Begins: 1982 May 5 Ends: 1982 Jul 1 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Any docs withheld? 8 Classification: Secret Pages: 227
PREM19/944 USA (Relations between the UK and USA) (Part 1) Begins: 1979 May 4 Ends: 1982 Apr 13 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Any docs withheld? 1 Classification: Secret Pages: 205
PREM19/945 Vatican (Vatican delegation to Heads of State about nuclear weapons; meeting with Prime Minister) Begins: 1981 Dec 14 Ends: 1982 Jan 29 Date of release: 2013 Jul 25 Classification: Confidential Pages: 59
PREM19/946 Zimbabwe (Internal situation; aid; relations with UK) Begins: 1981 Nov 12 Ends: 1982 Nov 30 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Secret Pages: 217
PREM19/947 Aerospace (Application by British Caledonian Airways to operate London-Los Angeles route) Begins: 1982 Mar 1 Ends: 1982 Mar 11 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Confidential Pages: 18
PREM19/948 Aerospace (Presentation by Rolls-Royce and British Aerospace to Prime Minister and other Ministers on aerospace) Begins: 1983 Sep 6 Ends: 1983 Nov 22 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Classification: Confidential Pages: 58
PREM19/949 Agriculture (Role of Home Grown Cereals Authority; appointment of Chairman) Begins: 1983 Aug 16 Ends: 1983 Nov 11 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Classification: Unclassified Pages: 17
PREM19/950 Argentina (Falklands) (Part 32) Begins: 1982 Dec 1 Ends: 1983 Mar 2 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Any docs withheld? 17 Classification: Secret Pages: 360
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