Thursday 18th March 1982
Most morning spent on WW’s [William Whitelaw] taxi Consultative paper - OK in right direction
Norman Fowler said under pressure to make good 5% reduction in Benefits due to inability to tax them last year - PM furious - Fowler does a U turn yet again.
Law + order cabinet
Idiotic reply on Youth recruitment bias in Civil Service by Janet Young’s office.
- wrote note to Willie Ricket [sic: Rickett] pointing out the obvious inconsistencies + errors.
Memo to PM on Amersham
Phoned E. George since I was worried about the Bank killing the IG [Indexed Gilts] issue by sinking the yield below the existing 1996 IG Secondary market yield - it would kill the bid system. I thought 95 was about right - 3% or so