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 1151 - 1200 of 3726

Per page:
File name File title Begins Ends Release date Any docs withheld? Classification Pages
PREM19/1151 USA (Visit to UK by Kenneth Dam, US Deputy Secretary of State; discussion of US/UK relations and foreign policy issues) Begins: 1983 Nov 3 Ends: 1983 Nov 7 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Any docs withheld? 1 Classification: Secret Pages: 74
PREM19/1152 USA (United States foreign policy; nuclear non-proliferation) (Part 1) Begins: 1981 Mar 21 Ends: 1983 Dec 22 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Classification: Secret Pages: 339
PREM19/1153 USA (Prime Minister's visit to Washington, September 1983) (Part 3) Begins: 1983 Aug 31 Ends: 1983 Oct 14 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Classification: Secret Pages: 198
PREM19/1154 Zimbabwe (Internal situation; trial of air force officers on sabotage charges; sale of Hunter aircraft; British Military Advisory and Training Team (BMATT); status of Joshua Nkomo in UK) (Part 3) Begins: 1982 Dec 1 Ends: 1983 Oct 28 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Classification: Top Secret Pages: 308
PREM19/1155 Foreign policy (Strategy meetings: foreign affairs and defence) (Part 1) Begins: 1983 Apr 22 Ends: 1983 Dec 22 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Classification: Secret Pages: 417
PREM19/1156 India (Visit to UK by Narasimha Rao, Indian Minister of External Affairs, November 1983: meeting with Prime Minister) Begins: 1983 Aug 22 Ends: 1983 Nov 7 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Classification: Secret Pages: 112
PREM19/1157 Manpower (Measures to counter unemployment) (Part 8) Begins: 1982 Sep 6 Ends: 1983 Jan 24 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Classification: Secret Pages: 294
PREM19/1158 Manpower (Measures to counter unemployment; Central Policy Review Staff (CPRS) report on unemployment, September 1982) (Part 8A) Begins: 1982 Sep 1 Ends: 1982 Sep 30 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Classification: Confidential Pages: 142
PREM19/1159 Manpower (Measures to counter unemployment; report by Professor Patrick Minford, 'UK unemployment - analysis and policy proposals') (Part 8B) Begins: 1982 Sep 6 Ends: 1983 Jan 24 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Classification: Unclassified Pages: 178
PREM19/1160 Manpower (Measures to counter unemployment; annexes to report by Professor Patrick Minford, 'UK unemployment - analysis and policy proposals') (Part 8C) Begins: 1982 Sep 6 Ends: 1983 Jan 29 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Classification: Unclassified Pages: 355
PREM19/1161 Manpower (Measures to counter unemployment) (Part 9) Begins: 1983 Feb 1 Ends: 1983 Jun 30 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Classification: Secret Pages: 400
PREM19/1162 Aerospace (Future and structure of British Airways; Price Waterhouse Report; privatisation) (Part 1) Begins: 1982 Mar 10 Ends: 1984 Feb 23 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Confidential Pages: 218
PREM19/1163 Aerospace (Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Review; airline competition policy; position of British Caledonian and other independent airlines) (Part 2) Begins: 1984 Mar 5 Ends: 1984 Sep 27 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 313
PREM19/1164 Aerospace (Possible merger between British Aerospace and Thorn EMI or General Electric Company (GEC)) Begins: 1984 May 2 Ends: 1984 Jul 11 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 42
PREM19/1165 Agriculture (Advisory Council for Applied Research and Development (ACARD) report on the food industry and technology) Begins: 1982 Jul 26 Ends: 1984 Aug 7 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Restricted Pages: 89
PREM19/1166 Angola (Internal situation; appointment of Jose Eduardo dos Santos as President; UK/Angolan relations) (Part 1) Begins: 1979 Oct 12 Ends: 1984 Mar 22 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 291
PREM19/1167 Argentina (Falklands) (Part 36) Begins: 1984 Jan 3 Ends: 1984 Mar 30 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Any docs withheld? 1 Classification: Secret Pages: 273
PREM19/1168 Argentina (Falklands) (Part 37) Begins: 1984 Apr 1 Ends: 1984 Aug 31 Date of release: 2014-01-03 Any docs withheld? 1 Classification: Top Secret Pages: 345
PREM19/1169 Argentina (Falklands) (Part 38) Begins: 1984 Sep 3 Ends: 1984 Oct 31 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 262
PREM19/1170 Argentina (Falklands: sensitive briefing - defence after repossession) (Part 13) Begins: 1983 Mar 18 Ends: 1984 Jan 23 Date of release: Retained Sec 3.4 Classification: Unknown
PREM19/1171 Arts and amenities (The Royal Academy Appeal) Begins: 1984 Jun 8 Ends: 1984 Dec 31 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Unclassified Pages: 44
PREM19/1172 Broadcasting (Direct broadcasting by satellite; development of cable systems and services; broadcasting policy) (Part 4) Begins: 1983 May 25 Ends: 1984 Apr 27 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Confidential Pages: 304
PREM19/1173 Cabinet (Cabinet collective responsibility) Begins: 1979 May 7 Ends: 1984 Nov 12 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Restricted Pages: 20
PREM19/1174 Civil service (Long-term management and manpower policy; Civil Service manpower; personnel work in Civil Service; the extension of unified grading; equal opportunities) (Part 14) Begins: 1983 Oct 3 Ends: 1984 Jan 25 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 368
PREM19/1175 Civil service (Long-term management and manpower policy; Civil Service manpower; senior management programme; financial management in government departments) (Part 15) Begins: 1984 Jan 24 Ends: 1984 Jun 29 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Confidential Pages: 552
PREM19/1176 Civil service (Long-term management and manpower policy; Civil Service manpower; senior management programme; financial management in government departments; unified grading) (Part 16) Begins: 1984 Jul 2 Ends: 1984 Nov 30 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 425
PREM19/1177 Civil service (Pay and pensions; report of Megaw Committee on pay and conditions; pay negotiations) (Part 13) Begins: 1982 Nov 19 Ends: 1984 Jan 17 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 239
PREM19/1178 Civil service (Introduction of new technology; computer procurement; agreement with unions) (Part 1) Begins: 1980 Mar 28 Ends: 1984 Dec 20 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Confidential Pages: 312
PREM19/1179 Commonwealth (Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, New Delhi, November 1983) (Part 7) Begins: 1983 Nov 27 Ends: 1984 Jan 20 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Any docs withheld? 1 Classification: Secret Pages: 260
PREM19/1180 Commonwealth (Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, New Delhi, November 1983; security of small states) (Part 8) Begins: 1984 Mar 1 Ends: 1984 Aug 17 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Any docs withheld? 1 Classification: Confidential Pages: 102
PREM19/1181 Commonwealth (Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, New Delhi, November 1983: administrative arrangements) (Part 1) Begins: 1982 Jun 18 Ends: 1983 Nov 15 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Confidential Pages: 210
PREM19/1182 Defence (Deployment of Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) in Europe) (Part 4) Begins: 1983 Sep 21 Ends: 1984 Jun 29 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Top Secret Pages: 369
PREM19/1183 Defence (Intelligence gathering operations) (Part 2) Begins: 1984 Oct 7 Ends: 1984 Dec 6 Date of release: Retained Sec 3.4 Classification: Unknown
PREM19/1184 Defence (Arms control) (Part 5) Begins: 1983 Dec 8 Ends: 1984 Dec 14 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 274
PREM19/1185 Defence (Defence sales) (Part 3) Begins: 1982 Nov 15 Ends: 1984 Feb 28 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Confidential Pages: 435
PREM19/1186 Defence (Defence sales) (Part 4) Begins: 1984 Mar 2 Ends: 1984 Dec 31 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Any docs withheld? 2 Classification: Confidential Pages: 454
PREM19/1187 Defence (Defence budget) (Part 10) Begins: 1983 May 4 Ends: 1984 Apr 12 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Any docs withheld? 1 Classification: Secret Pages: 121
PREM19/1188 Defence (Military uses of laser technology in space; anti-satellite systems and arms control; ballistic missile defence; the United States Strategic Defence Initiative) (Part 1) Begins: 1979 Dec 24 Ends: 1984 Dec 22 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 249
PREM19/1189 Defence (Correspondence from Professor R.V. Jones) Begins: 1982 Jun 14 Ends: 1984 Sep 5 Date of release: Retained Sec 3.4 Classification: Unknown
PREM19/1190 Economic policy (Public Spending) (Part 26) Begins: 1983 Dec 5 Ends: 1984 Feb 29 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 281
PREM19/1191 Economic policy (Public Spending) (Part 27) Begins: 1984 Mar 2 Ends: 1984 Aug 22 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 335
PREM19/1192 Economic policy (Public Spending) (Part 28) Begins: 1984 Sep 5 Ends: 1984 Oct 18 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 300
PREM19/1193 Economic policy (Public Spending) (Part 29) Begins: 1984 Oct 19 Ends: 1984 Nov 5 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 139
PREM19/1194 Economic policy (Public Spending) (Part 30) Begins: 1984 Nov 6 Ends: 1984 Dec 14 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 376
PREM19/1195 Economic policy (Privatisation) (Part 9) Begins: 1984 Jan 16 Ends: 1984 May 31 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 246
PREM19/1196 Economic policy (Privatisation) (Part 10) Begins: 1984 Jun 1 Ends: 1984 Jul 31 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 485
PREM19/1197 Economic policy (Budget) (Part 11) Begins: 1983 Mar 17 Ends: 1984 Feb 28 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 336
PREM19/1198 Economic policy (Budget) (Part 12) Begins: 1984 Mar 1 Ends: 1984 Mar 14 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 388
PREM19/1199 Economic policy (Domestic monetary policy) (Part 11) Begins: 1983 Nov 4 Ends: 1984 Nov 26 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 414
PREM19/1200 Economic policy (International banking system) (Part 3) Begins: 1983 Sep 1 Ends: 1984 Feb 24 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 338
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