Archive

Large scale document archive

1981 Mar 10 - 1981 Jul 20
Prime Ministerial Private Office files

PREM19/540
Nationalised industries (Coal mines) (Part 3)

Source: TNA, PREM19 series
Release date: 2011 Dec 30
Classification: Secret
Page count: 199

PREM19/540 - download whole file (PDF, 109.87 MB)

Selections from this file

Showing items 1 - 20 of 37

Date Value Title
81 Mar 10 Tu Major Coal: Armstrong minute to Maitland (contingency planning for future industrial action by coal miners) [declassified 2011]
81 Mar 12 Th Major Coal: Howell minute to MT (report on coal industry tripartite meeting with NCB and NUM) [declassified 2011]
81 Mar 27 Fr Major Coal: Hoskyns minute to MT ("Lessons of the NUM Strike Threat") ["This note may appear critical of David Howell; that is not its purpose"] [declassified 2011]
81 Mar 31 Tu Major Coal: Howell minute to MT (meeting between NCB and unions: Ezra wants to give unions details of NCB's financial position) [declassified 2011]
81 Apr 2 Th Major Coal: Duguid minute to Lankester ("Regionalising the NCB") [possible plan for breaking up industry and fragmenting mining unions] [declassified 2011]
81 Apr 3 Fr Major Coal: Armstrong minute to MT (report on plan to transfer coal from pitheads to power stations) [concerns about counter-contingency planning by "militants in the NUM"] [declassified 2011]
81 Apr 13 Mo Major Coal: Prior minute to MT ("Coal Stocks at Power Stations") ["I am in no doubt that [transferring coal to power stations] would prove highly provocative"] [declassified 2011]
81 Apr 13 Mo Major Coal: Wolfson minute to MT (proposal to build up coal stocks at power stations) ["I am all in favour...but it should not be done by Ministerial Committee"] [declassified 2011]
81 Apr 14 Tu Major Coal: No.10 record of conversation (MT-Whitelaw-Chancellor of the Exchequer-Pym-Joseph-Younger-Howell-Armstrong) ["Coal Stocks at Power Stations"] [declassified 2011]
81 May 12 Tu Major Coal: Armstrong briefing for MT ("NCB Finances (E(81) 57 and E(81) 58)") [declassified 2011]
81 May 12 Tu Major Coal: Hoskyns minute to MT ("NCB: E Discussion Tomorrow") [strengthening the Government's negotiating position with miners' unions: "It's just like the nuclear deterrent: we cannot afford to look like unilateral disarmers"] [declassified 2011]
81 May 12 Tu Major Coal: Ibbs minute to Lankester ("NCB Finances") ["The worst possible situation would be to take on the NUM and be seen to lose again"] [declassified 2011]
81 May 13 We Major Coal: Chancellor of the Exchequer minute to MT ("NCB Finances") [argues for "a major PR campaign on the costs imposed on the taxpayer by the coal industry"] [declassified 2011]
81 May 14 Th Major Coal: Howell minute to MT (concerns about decisions reached by E Committee on NCB finances) ["The NUM would bitterly resent these decisions and...they could well lead to another confrontation"] [declassified 2011]
81 May 15 Fr Major Coal: Duguid minute to Lankester (breaking up the NCB) ["For practical purposes the NCB is in the hands of the NUM...[so] the NUM will rapidly be alerted to the need to head off any moves towards regionalisation"] [declassified 2011]
81 May 18 Mo Major Coal: Ibbs minute to Lankester ("NCB Finances") [plan for "regaining some of the initiative" from the NUM] [declassified 2011]
81 May 19 Tu Major Coal: No.10 record of conversation (MT-Howell-Chancellor of the Exchequer-Brittan-Armstrong-Ibbs) [NCB finances] [declassified 2011]
81 May 20 We Major Coal: Armstrong briefing for MT ("E: NCB Finances") [declassified 2011]
81 May 22 Fr Major Coal: Hoskyns letter to Chancellor of the Exchequer ("NCB") [PR campaign on cost of NCB to taxpayer] [declassified 2011]
81 May 29 Fr Major Coal: Duguid minute to Lankester ("NCB") [setting up a group to look at wider strategy concerning the NCB and NUM] [declassified 2011]