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 1301 - 1350 of 3726

Per page:
File name File title Begins Ends Release date Any docs withheld? Classification Pages
PREM19/1299 Libya (UK/Libyan relations; threat to Libyan dissidents in UK) (Part 1) Begins: 1979 Jul 9 Ends: 1984 Mar 23 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Any docs withheld? 4 Classification: Top Secret Pages: 151
PREM19/1303 Local government (Relations with central government, organisation & finance) (Part 18) Begins: 1983 Nov 4 Ends: 1984 Jan 13 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Confidential Pages: 387
PREM19/1304 Local government (Relations with central government, organisation & finance) (Part 19) Begins: 1984 Jan 16 Ends: 1984 Mar 30 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 271
PREM19/1305 Local government (Relations with central government, organisation & finance) (Part 20) Begins: 1984 Apr 3 Ends: 1984 May 31 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Confidential Pages: 232
PREM19/1306 Local government (Relations with central government, organisation & finance) (Part 21) Begins: 1984 Jun 1 Ends: 1984 Jul 31 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Any docs withheld? 2 Classification: Confidential Pages: 403
PREM19/1307 Local government (Relations with central government, organisation & finance) (Part 22) Begins: 1984 Aug 1 Ends: 1984 Sep 27 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Confidential Pages: 272
PREM19/1308 Local government (Relations with central government, organisation & finance) (Part 23) Begins: 1984 Oct 2 Ends: 1984 Nov 30 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Confidential Pages: 287
PREM19/1309 Local government (Relations with central government, organisation & finance) (Part 24) Begins: 1984 Dec 3 Ends: 1984 Dec 31 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Confidential Pages: 240
PREM19/1310 Mauritius (Visits to UK by Prime Ministers Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam and Anerood Jugnauth: meetings with Prime Minister) Begins: 1980 Jan 18 Ends: 1984 Sep 7 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 348
PREM19/1311 Manpower (Strategy for industry and employment; reducing the burden of regulation on the economy; Chequers seminar on employment) (Part 1) Begins: 1983 Feb 15 Ends: 1984 Mar 30 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 339
PREM19/1312 Manpower (Strategy for industry and employment; reducing the burden of regulation on the economy; Chequers seminar on employment - follow-up work) (Part 2) Begins: 1984 Apr 2 Ends: 1984 May 29 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 277
PREM19/1313 Manpower (Measures to counter unemployment; Youth Training Scheme; review of Community Programme) (Part 10) Begins: 1983 Jul 1 Ends: 1984 Oct 31 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 357
PREM19/1314 Memorials (Yalta victims memorial) Begins: 1980 Jan 28 Ends: 1984 Mar 12 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Confidential Pages: 102
PREM19/1315 Middle East (Arms sales and military assistance to Middle Eastern countries) (Part 3) Begins: 1982 Oct 13 Ends: 1984 Oct 22 Date of release: 2014 Sep 29 Classification: Secret Pages: 375
PREM19/1316 Ministers (Ministers’ outside interests; position of Ministers on appointment to office; membership at Lloyds; Questions of Procedure for Ministers) (Part 1) Begins: 1979 May 9 Ends: 1984 Sep 17 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Confidential Pages: 314
PREM19/1317 National health (Expenditure and efficiency in the National Health Service (NHS); NHS Management Inquiry Report (Griffiths Report); priorities and policies for health and personal social services) (Part 2) Begins: 1983 Apr 7 Ends: 1984 Feb 20 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 393
PREM19/1318 National health (Expenditure and efficiency in the National Health Service (NHS); NHS Management Inquiry Report (Griffiths Report); priorities and policies for health and personal social services) (Part 3) Begins: 1984 Mar 10 Ends: 1984 Aug 24 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 237
PREM19/1319 National health (Nurses pay: review body for nurses and related groups) (Part 2) Begins: 1982 Feb 1 Ends: 1984 Apr 30 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 221
PREM19/1320 National health (Seminar on health and social security, September 1983; Social Security Policy Reviews) (Part 1) Begins: 1983 Jul 26 Ends: 1984 Jun 22 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 261
PREM19/1321 National health (Future of optical services; end of opticians' monopoly on sale of spectacles) Begins: 1983 Apr 15 Ends: 1984 Nov 19 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 38
PREM19/1322 National health (Reforming the National Health Service (NHS); reorganisation: compensation terms) (Part 2) Begins: 1980 Jan 15 Ends: 1984 Sep 27 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 160
PREM19/1323 Nationalised industries (Pay of Chairmen and Board members) (Part 2) Begins: 1981 Dec 4 Ends: 1984 May 29 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Confidential Pages: 334
PREM19/1324 Nationalised industries (Shipbuilding policy; prospects for British Shipbuilders) (Part 4) Begins: 1982 Jul 19 Ends: 1983 Jun 27 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 256
PREM19/1325 Nationalised industries (Shipbuilding policy; prospects for British Shipbuilders) (Part 5) Begins: 1983 Jul 11 Ends: 1984 Jan 26 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 282
PREM19/1326 Nationalised industries (Shipbuilding policy; prospects for British Shipbuilders) (Part 6) Begins: 1984 Jan 27 Ends: 1984 May 30 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 275
PREM19/1327 Nationalised industries (Nationalised industry policy; financial control; overseas role; Nationalised Industries Bill) (Part 8) Begins: 1983 Jan 5 Ends: 1984 May 31 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 235
PREM19/1328 Nationalised industries (Gas and electricity pricing policy; gas industry privatisation; Sleipner gas) (Part 9) Begins: 1984 Jan 9 Ends: 1984 Aug 15 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 250
PREM19/1329 Nationalised industries (Coal mines) (Part 8) Begins: 1983 May 4 Ends: 1984 Mar 30 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 301
PREM19/1330 Nationalised industries (Coal mines) (Part 9) Begins: 1984 Apr 3 Ends: 1984 May 31 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 270
PREM19/1331 Nationalised industries (Coal mines) (Part 10) Begins: 1984 Jun 1 Ends: 1984 Jul 18 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 317
PREM19/1332 Nationalised industries (Coal mines) (Part 11) Begins: 1984 Jul 19 Ends: 1984 Aug 31 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Any docs withheld? 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 304
PREM19/1333 Nationalised industries (Coal mines) (Part 12) Begins: 1984 Sep 2 Ends: 1984 Sep 20 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 313
PREM19/1334 Nationalised industries (Coal mines) (Part 13) Begins: 1984 Sep 21 Ends: 1984 Oct 19 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Any docs withheld? 2 Classification: Secret Pages: 396
PREM19/1335 Nationalised industries (Coal mines) (Part 14) Begins: 1984 Oct 20 Ends: 1984 Nov 20 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Any docs withheld? 1 Classification: Secret Pages: 333
PREM19/1336 Parliament (Legislative programme) (Part 11) Begins: 1983 Jul 1 Ends: 1984 Feb 29 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Confidential Pages: 233
PREM19/1337 Parliament (Legislative programme) (Part 12) Begins: 1984 Mar 6 Ends: 1984 Sep 26 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Any docs withheld? 3 Classification: Confidential Pages: 306
PREM19/1338 Parliament (Article in ‘The Listener’ by Julian Critchley MP alleging breach of pairing rules by Tom Pendry MP in 1976 vote: Pendry's action against Critchley; possible disclosure of report by Government and Opposition Whips in June 1976 to Prime Minister Callaghan) Begins: 1976 Jun 18 Ends: 1984 Oct 12 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Confidential Pages: 15
PREM19/1339 Parliament (House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology: scientific advice to government; engineering research and development) Begins: 1979 Nov 12 Ends: 1984 Oct 16 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Confidential Pages: 210
PREM19/1340 Parliament (Queen's speeches on prorogation and opening of Parliament; televising the State Opening) (Part 5) Begins: 1982 Oct 27 Ends: 1984 Oct 31 Date of release: Retained Classification: Temporarily retained by Department
PREM19/1341 Peru (Visit to UK by Prime Minister Dr Manuel Ulloa Elias, January 1981; possible visit by Prime Minister Dr Schwalb) Begins: 1980 Dec 1 Ends: 1984 Jun 18 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Any docs withheld? 1 Classification: Confidential Pages: 104
PREM19/1342 Portugal (Visits to UK by Prime Minister Dr Sa Carneiro (May 1980), Vice Prime Minister Professor Freitas do Amaral (November 1982) and Prime Minister Dr Mario Soares (November 1984); meetings with Prime Minister) Begins: 1980 Mar 17 Ends: 1984 Dec 17 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Any docs withheld? 3 Classification: Confidential Pages: 226
PREM19/1343 Portugal (Prime Minister's visit to Portugal, April 1984) Begins: 1984 Feb 8 Ends: 1984 Aug 9 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Any docs withheld? 1 Classification: Secret Pages: 327
PREM19/1344 Posts and telecommunications (Future of the Post Office; telecommunications liberalisation and privatisation; Telecommunications Bill; draft licence for British Telecom (BT)) (Part 7) Begins: 1983 Apr 12 Ends: 1984 Jan 11 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Any docs withheld? 1 Classification: Secret Pages: 370
PREM19/1345 Posts and telecommunications (Future of the Post Office: proposals for Post Office counters network; telecommunications liberalisation and privatisation; Telecommunications Bill; British Telecom (BT) licence; Mercury Communications Ltd) (Part 8) Begins: 1984 Jan 12 Ends: 1984 Jul 31 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Any docs withheld? 2 Classification: Secret Pages: 362
PREM19/1346 Posts and telecommunications (Telephone rental and standing charges) Begins: 1982 Mar 12 Ends: 1983 May 12 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Confidential Pages: 27
PREM19/1347 Prime Minister (Prime Minister's meeting with US Senator Orrin Hatch, November 1984) Begins: 1984 Nov 12 Ends: 1984 Nov 19 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Confidential Pages: 14
PREM19/1348 Prime Minister (Study on future of welfare state by Lord Vaizey and others; meeting with Prime Minister) Begins: 1983 Nov 28 Ends: 1984 Feb 2 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Confidential Pages: 33
PREM19/1349 Prime Minister (Prime Minister's meeting with Jing Shuping, President of China International Economic Consultants (CIEC), November 1984) Begins: 1984 Oct 11 Ends: 1984 Nov 13 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Confidential Pages: 20
PREM19/1350 Prime Minister (Prime Minister's meeting with Alan Bond of Airship Industries (UK) Ltd about further government financial assistance, July 1984) Begins: 1984 Jun 28 Ends: 1984 Jul 31 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Confidential Pages: 22
PREM19/1351 Prime Minister (Election of Prime Minister as Honorary Bencher of Gray’s Inn) Begins: 1983 Feb 9 Ends: 1984 Dec 6 Date of release: 2014 Jan 3 Classification: Confidential Pages: 32
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