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 851 - 900 of 5082

Per page:
File name File title Begins Ends Release date Any docs withheld? Classification Pages
PREM19/770 Gibraltar (Policy) (Part 2) Begins: 1982 Feb 11 Ends: 1982 Oct 28 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Any docs withheld? 2 Classification: Secret Pages: 189
PREM19/771 Government buildings (Building of an international conference centre on Broad Sanctuary in Westminster; redevelopment of Richmond Yard/Bridge Street site) (Part 1) Begins: 1979 Oct 1 Ends: 1982 Sep 30 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Any docs withheld? 8 Classification: Secret Pages: 215
PREM19/772 Government machinery (Review of supporting services in research and development and allied scientific establishments) Begins: 1981 Jan 8 Ends: 1982 Jul 26 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Restricted Pages: 90
PREM19/773 Government machinery ('Improving management effectiveness in Government', memorandum by Management Consultants Association; review of financial control in Department of Industry; employment of consultants in government) Begins: 1981 Nov 17 Ends: 1982 Mar 29 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Restricted Pages: 78
PREM19/774 Government machinery (Select Committee proposal for new Ministry for the arts, heritage and tourism) Begins: 1982 Dec 3 Ends: 1982 Dec 10 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Confidential Pages: 6
PREM19/775 Government machinery (Customs facilities at Wick Airport) Begins: 1982 Apr 28 Ends: 1982 Dec 8 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Confidential Pages: 75
PREM19/776 Government machinery (Civil Contingencies Unit reports; emergency powers legislation; withstanding strikes in key sectors of the economy) (Part 2) Begins: 1981 Mar 2 Ends: 1982 Sep 29 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Secret Pages: 86
PREM19/777 Government machinery (Promotion of efficiency and elimination of waste; financial management in the Ministry of Defence; the Scrutiny Programme) (Part 10) Begins: 1981 Sep 17 Ends: 1982 Feb 10 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Confidential Pages: 232
PREM19/778 Government machinery (Promotion of efficiency and elimination of waste: the Scrutiny Programme 1982) (Part 11) Begins: 1982 Jan 11 Ends: 1982 Feb 12 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Confidential Pages: 115
PREM19/779 Government machinery (Promotion of efficiency and elimination of waste: the Scrutiny Programme 1982) (Part 12) Begins: 1982 Feb 19 Ends: 1982 Nov 2 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Confidential Pages: 326
PREM19/780 Government machinery (Organisation of Treasury and Civil Service Department (CSD); reorganisation of the central departments; creation of Management and Personnel Office (MPO); future of Efficiency Unit; policy advice for Prime Minister) (Part 5) Begins: 1981 Nov 4 Ends: 1982 Jul 30 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Any docs withheld? 2 Classification: Secret Pages: 303
PREM19/781 Government machinery (Future of the Department of Prices and Consumer Protection; departmental arrangements for overseas aid and development: management review of Overseas Development Administration (ODA); review of common services of FCO and ODA) (Part 1) Begins: 1979 May 4 Ends: 1982 Jun 16 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Confidential Pages: 215
PREM19/782 Government machinery (Future of quangos; action following review by Sir Leo Pliatzky) (Part 2) Begins: 1980 Jan 24 Ends: 1981 Feb 27 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Confidential Pages: 324
PREM19/783 Home affairs (Family Policy Group; renewing the values of society) Begins: 1982 May 26 Ends: 1982 Oct 29 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Confidential Pages: 227
PREM19/784 Home affairs (Penlee lifeboat disaster fund; guidance for organisers of disaster appeals) Begins: 1981 Dec 22 Ends: 1982 Mar 9 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Unclassified Pages: 43
PREM19/785 Hong Kong (UK trade with China; power projects in Hong Kong and China involving UK companies) (Part 2) Begins: 1981 Jan 5 Ends: 1982 Nov 29 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Secret Pages: 261
PREM19/786 Hong Kong (Prime Minister's meetings with Sir Yue-Kong Pao, Chairman of World-wide Shipping Group) (Part 1) Begins: 1979 May 10 Ends: 1982 Jan 25 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Secret Pages: 164
PREM19/788 Hong Kong (Prime Minister's visit to Hong Kong, September 1982: policy) Begins: 1982 Jul 20 Ends: 1982 Oct 4 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Any docs withheld? 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 236
PREM19/789 Hong Kong (Future of Hong Kong) (Part 1) Begins: 1979 Jun 5 Ends: 1982 Sep 8 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Secret Pages: 297
PREM19/790 Hong Kong (Future of Hong Kong) (Part 2) Begins: 1982 Sep 8 Ends: 1982 Oct 5 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Secret Pages: 240
PREM19/791 Hong Kong (Future of Hong Kong) (Part 3) Begins: 1982 Oct 6 Ends: 1982 Nov 6 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Top Secret Pages: 228
PREM19/792 Hong Kong (Future of Hong Kong: Prime Minister's visit to China; special briefing) Begins: 1982 Sep 6 Ends: 1982 Sep 23 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Secret Pages: 317
PREM19/793 Housing (Housing policy; Housing Act 1980; council house sales) (Part 2) Begins: 1980 Aug 1 Ends: 1981 Sep 23 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Confidential Pages: 205
PREM19/794 Housing (Housing policy; Housing Act 1980; council house sales) (Part 3) Begins: 1981 Oct 27 Ends: 1982 Dec 8 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Secret Pages: 143
PREM19/795 Housing (Review of the Housing (Homeless Persons) Act 1977) Begins: 1980 Jul 16 Ends: 1982 Apr 7 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Confidential Pages: 50
PREM19/796 Iceland (Visit to UK by President Vigdis Finnbogadottir, February 1982: meeting with Prime Minister) Begins: 1981 Jun 25 Ends: 1982 Feb 21 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Confidential Pages: 99
PREM19/797 Immigration (White Paper on proposals for changing the immigration rules; review of immigration appeals system) (Part 1) Begins: 1979 Sep 19 Ends: 1982 Aug 26 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Confidential Pages: 167
PREM19/798 India (Prime Minister's visit to India, April 1981: follow-up action) (Part 2) Begins: 1981 Apr 19 Ends: 1982 Feb 16 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Secret Pages: 95
PREM19/799 India (UK/Indian relations) (Part 2) Begins: 1981 Jan 30 Ends: 1982 Nov 19 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Any docs withheld? 1 Classification: Confidential Pages: 269
PREM19/800 India (Visit to UK by Indira Gandhi, Prime Minister of India, March 1982: Festival of India 1982) (Part 1) Begins: 1981 Feb 17 Ends: 1982 Feb 27 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Any docs withheld? 7 Classification: Confidential Pages: 207
PREM19/801 India (Visit to UK by Indira Gandhi, Prime Minister of India, March 1982: meeting with Prime Minister; Festival of India) (Part 2) Begins: 1982 Mar 1 Ends: 1982 Aug 5 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Confidential Pages: 229
PREM19/802 India (Visit to UK by Rajiv Gandhi, September 1982: call on Prime Minister) Begins: 1982 Aug 26 Ends: 1982 Oct 27 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Confidential Pages: 23
PREM19/803 Industrial policy (Future of British Leyland (BL)) (Part 6) Begins: 1981 Nov 1 Ends: 1982 Jul 29 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Any docs withheld? 2 Classification: Secret Pages: 326
PREM19/804 Industrial policy (Industrial relations law) (Part 8) Begins: 1981 Oct 7 Ends: 1982 Feb 26 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Secret Pages: 205
PREM19/805 Industrial policy (Information technology (IT): appointment of IT Advisory Panel and establishment of IT Unit in Cabinet Office; Kenneth Baker's role as Minister for IT) (Part 2) Begins: 1981 Apr 1 Ends: 1981 Oct 31 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Restricted Pages: 158
PREM19/806 Industrial policy (Industrial action in the ports; future of Port of London Authority (PLA) and Mersey Docks and Harbour Company (MDHC)) (Part 1) Begins: 1979 Oct 18 Ends: 1982 May 5 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Secret Pages: 124
PREM19/807 Industrial policy (UK newsprint production: closure of Bowater's mill at Ellesmere Port) Begins: 1980 Jul 28 Ends: 1982 Dec 1 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Secret Pages: 254
PREM19/808 Industrial policy (Financial difficulties of Massey Ferguson Ltd: industrial and employment consequences of collapse) Begins: 1979 Nov 8 Ends: 1982 Oct 8 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Confidential Pages: 72
PREM19/809 Industrial policy (European Commission ruling against Industry Act assistance to Hitachi Maxwell) Begins: 1982 Dec 15 Ends: 1982 Dec 24 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Confidential Pages: 6
PREM19/810 Industrial policy (Impact of government on industry; Prime Minister's meeting with Lord Trenchard, Minister of State, Department of Industry) Begins: 1979 Jul 6 Ends: 1982 Nov 10 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Confidential Pages: 72
PREM19/811 Industrial policy (Financial difficulties of Fodens Ltd, Sandbach: local employment consequences) Begins: 1979 Jul 10 Ends: 1982 Feb 10 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Any docs withheld? 1 Classification: Unclassified Pages: 57
PREM19/812 Iran (Visit to UK by Prince Reza Pahlavi) Begins: 1980 Mar 26 Ends: 1980 Mar 28 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Classification: Confidential Pages: 8
PREM19/813 Iraq (Internal situation; Iran-Iraq War; defence issues in the Persian Gulf) (Part 2) Begins: 1980 Sep 30 Ends: 1982 Jun 10 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Any docs withheld? 1 Classification: Top Secret Pages: 317
PREM19/814 Ireland (Situation in Northern Ireland) (Part 10) Begins: 1981 Aug 24 Ends: 1982 Jan 27 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Any docs withheld? 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 262
PREM19/815 Ireland (Situation in Northern Ireland) (Part 11) Begins: 1982 Feb 4 Ends: 1982 Jun 30 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Any docs withheld? 7 Classification: Secret Pages: 133
PREM19/816 Ireland (Situation in Northern Ireland) (Part 12) Begins: 1982 Jul 1 Ends: 1982 Nov 12 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Any docs withheld? 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 181
PREM19/817 Ireland (Northern Ireland Security Co-ordinator: appointments of Sir Maurice Oldfield and Sir Brooks Richards; post then left in abeyance) Begins: 1979 Sep 18 Ends: 1982 Apr 8 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Any docs withheld? 1 Classification: Secret - Cab Two Pages: 146
PREM19/818 Ireland (Security of the Northern Ireland border) Begins: 1979 Sep 6 Ends: 1982 Jun 16 Date of release: 2012 Dec 28 Any docs withheld? 3 Classification: Top Secret - Cab Two Pages: 16
PREM19/819 Ireland (Taoiseach Charles Haughey's advice to SDLP's John Hume in upcoming Northern Ireland election) Begins: 1982 Apr 30 Ends: 1982 May 4 Date of release: Retained Classification: Retained Sec 3.4
PREM19/820 Italy (Anglo-Italian Summit, Rome, July 1982) Begins: 1982 Jun 18 Ends: 1982 Jul 6 Date of release: Retained Classification: Retained Sec 3.4
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