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 5082

Per page:
File name File title Begins Ends Release date Any docs withheld? Classification Pages
PREM19/1073 Japan (Commercial relations with Japan; effects of Japanese imports on the European car industry; possible Nissan investment in UK) (Part 3) Begins: 1982 Nov 22 Ends: 1983 Oct 31 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Classification: Confidential Pages: 295
PREM19/1074 Lebanon (Internal situation; Israeli/Lebanese hostilities; Multinational Force (MNF) in Lebanon; UK/Lebanese relations) (Part 3) Begins: 1982 Jul 12 Ends: 1983 Sep 5 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Classification: Secret Pages: 423
PREM19/1075 Lebanon (Internal situation; Multinational Force (MNF) in Lebanon; Beirut barracks bombing, 23 October 1983; UK/Lebanese relations) (Part 4) Begins: 1983 Sep 6 Ends: 1983 Oct 31 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Classification: Top Secret Pages: 275
PREM19/1076 Lebanon (Internal situation; Multinational Force (MNF) in Lebanon; UK/Lebanese relations) (Part 5A) Begins: 1983 Nov 1 Ends: 1983 Dec 4 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Classification: Top Secret Pages: 220
PREM19/1077 Lebanon (Internal situation; Multinational Force (MNF) in Lebanon; UK/Lebanese relations) (Part 5B) Begins: 1983 Dec 4 Ends: 1983 Dec 30 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Classification: Top Secret Pages: 234
PREM19/1078 Legal procedure (Contempt of Court Bill; traducing of third parties in judicial proceedings) Begins: 1979 Jul 19 Ends: 1983 Nov 21 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Classification: Confidential Pages: 24
PREM19/1079 Local government (Relations with central government, organisation & finance) (Part 15) Begins: 1983 Jan 4 Ends: 1983 Jun 29 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Classification: Secret Pages: 198
PREM19/1080 Local government (Relations with central government, organisation & finance) (Part 16) Begins: 1983 Jul 4 Ends: 1983 Sep 16 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Classification: Confidential Pages: 325
PREM19/1081 Local government (Relations with central government, organisation & finance) (Part 17) Begins: 1983 Sep 19 Ends: 1983 Oct 31 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Classification: Confidential Pages: 164
PREM19/1082 Local government (Future of rating system; alternatives to domestic rates; rate limitation schemes) (Part 2) Begins: 1982 Jul 23 Ends: 1983 Jun 29 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Classification: Secret Pages: 334
PREM19/1083 Local government (Industrial action in water industry; contingency planning) (Part 2) Begins: 1981 Nov 13 Ends: 1983 Feb 8 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Classification: Secret Pages: 240
PREM19/1084 Local government (Industrial action in water industry; contingency planning; settlement following Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) inquiry; threat of industrial action in fire service over pensions) (Part 3) Begins: 1983 Feb 9 Ends: 1983 Apr 29 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Classification: Secret Pages: 228
PREM19/1085 Local government (Water charges: Prime Minister's interest in measures to control rate of increase) Begins: 1981 Feb 13 Ends: 1983 Apr 12 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Classification: Confidential Pages: 36
PREM19/1086 Local government (Southwark Council's blacklisting of contractors involved in work at Greenham Common: representation from Lord Harris of Greenwich) Begins: 1983 Feb 16 Ends: 1983 Mar 24 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Classification: Confidential Pages: 9
PREM19/1087 Middle East (Situation in the Middle East) (Part 10) Begins: 1982 Apr 22 Ends: 1983 Jan 31 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Any docs withheld? 1 Classification: Secret Pages: 353
PREM19/1088 Middle East (Situation in the Middle East) (Part 11) Begins: 1983 Feb 3 Ends: 1983 Dec 28 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Classification: Secret Pages: 388
PREM19/1089 National health (Waste in the National Health Service (NHS); priorities and policies for health and personal social services) (Part 1) Begins: 1979 May 8 Ends: 1983 Mar 14 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Classification: Secret Pages: 282
PREM19/1090 National health (National Health Service (NHS) pay dispute; pay determination process in NHS) (Part 2) Begins: 1982 Sep 7 Ends: 1983 Aug 18 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Classification: Secret Pages: 193
PREM19/1091 National health (Management inquiry into National Health Service (NHS) manpower and resources (led by Roy Griffiths of J Sainsbury plc); representations from Ralph Howell MP) Begins: 1980 Jul 22 Ends: 1983 Jul 27 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Classification: Secret Pages: 208
PREM19/1092 Nationalised industries (Coal mines) (Part 7) Begins: 1982 Sep 9 Ends: 1983 May 10 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Classification: Secret Pages: 330
PREM19/1093 Nationalised industries (Gas and electricity industries; report by Central Policy Review Staff (CPRS) on electricity prices for industry; gas appliance retailing; Monopolies and Mergers Commission (MMC) report on efficiency in Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB)) (Part 7) Begins: 1982 Oct 14 Ends: 1983 Mar 30 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Classification: Secret Pages: 265
PREM19/1094 Nationalised industries (Gas and electricity pricing policy; withstanding a strike in the gas industry) (Part 8) Begins: 1983 Apr 5 Ends: 1983 Dec 30 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Classification: Secret Pages: 246
PREM19/1095 Nationalised industries (Prospects for the steel industry; plant closures; future of Ian MacGregor, chairman of British Steel Corporation (BSC)) (Part 12) Begins: 1982 Dec 1 Ends: 1983 Jun 30 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Classification: Secret Pages: 368
PREM19/1096 Overseas Aid (Development policy; aid framework for 1981-1982 to 1983-1984; UK contribution to International Development Association) (Part 3) Begins: 1982 Apr 2 Ends: 1983 Dec 14 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Classification: Secret Pages: 304
PREM19/1097 Parliament (Legislative programme, 1983-1984) (Part 10) Begins: 1982 Nov 9 Ends: 1983 Jun 30 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Classification: Secret Pages: 151
PREM19/1098 Parliament (House of Commons procedure; review of working of Departmental Select Committees; Select Committee inquiry into positive vetting; Select Committee interest in records of security and intelligence agencies) (Part 5) Begins: 1981 Sep 7 Ends: 1983 Mar 30 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Classification: Secret Pages: 261
PREM19/1099 Parliament (Select Committee report on future of Concorde aircraft; financial aspects; discussions with French) Begins: 1980 Dec 12 Ends: 1983 Mar 17 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Classification: Secret Pages: 289
PREM19/1100 Posts and telecommunications (Future of the Post Office; cable expansion and broadcasting policy; telecommunications liberalisation and privatisation; Telecommunications Bill) (Part 6) Begins: 1982 Oct 28 Ends: 1983 Mar 29 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Classification: Secret Pages: 284
PREM19/1101 Prime Minister (Prime Minister's meeting with Stanley Thorne MP about job losses at Preston factory of Rockwell Graphic Systems Ltd) Begins: 1983 Apr 20 Ends: 1983 May 13 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Classification: Confidential Pages: 15
PREM19/1102 Prime Minister (Prime Minister's meeting with Dr Henry Kaufman of Salomon Brothers Inc: economic situation in USA; international economic situation) Begins: 1983 Mar 4 Ends: 1983 Mar 4 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Classification: Confidential Pages: 4
PREM19/1103 Prime Minister (Prime Minister's meeting with Alexander Solzhenitsyn: record of meeting) Begins: 1983 May 6 Ends: 1983 May 12 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Classification: Confidential Pages: 15
PREM19/1104 Prime Minister (Future of Timex operation in Dundee: Prime Minister's meetings with Gordon Wilson MP and Ernie Ross MP) Begins: 1983 Jan 24 Ends: 1983 May 19 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Classification: Unclassified Pages: 124
PREM19/1105 Prime Minister (Arab League Delegation visit to London; inclusion of representative of Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO)) (Part 1) Begins: 1980 Aug 4 Ends: 1983 Feb 28 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Classification: Confidential Pages: 309
PREM19/1106 Prime Minister (Arab League Delegation visit to London; inclusion of representative of Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO); meeting with Prime Minister) (Part 2) Begins: 1983 Mar 2 Ends: 1983 Mar 27 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Classification: Secret Pages: 176
PREM19/1107 Prime Minister (Briefing for incoming Prime Minister from Cabinet Office, Prime Minister's Office and Civil Service Department, May 1979; post-election briefing, June 1983) Begins: 1979 Apr 6 Ends: 1983 Jun 8 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Any docs withheld? 1 Classification: Secret Pages: 162
PREM19/1108 Prime Minister (Meeting with Hector Monro, Minister for Sport at Department of the Environment: soccer hooliganism; Gleneagles Agreement and the forthcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM)) Begins: 1981 May 1 Ends: 1983 Jul 12 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Classification: Confidential Pages: 12
PREM19/1109 Prime Minister (Prime Minister's meetings with Dr Edmund Marshall MP: closure of GEC Small Machines Ltd factory at Thorne and Thornhill's chicken processing factory at Stainforth) Begins: 1981 May 12 Ends: 1983 Feb 4 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Classification: Unclassified Pages: 46
PREM19/1110 Prime Minister (Prime Minister's meetings with local MPs about closures of Wiggins Teape paper machines in Dartford and Thames Board mill at Warrington) Begins: 1983 Jan 25 Ends: 1983 Mar 7 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Classification: Restricted Pages: 49
PREM19/1111 Prime Minister (Prime Minister's meetings with Dr David Clark MP about factory closures and unemployment in his South Shields constituency) Begins: 1981 Jul 14 Ends: 1983 Jan 24 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Classification: Confidential Pages: 189
PREM19/1112 Prime Minister (Prime Minister's visit to Falklands, Jan 1983) (Part 1) Begins: 1982 Aug 10 Ends: 1983 Jan 12 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Any docs withheld? 3 Classification: Top Secret Pages: 197
PREM19/1113 Prime Minister (Prime Minister's visit to Falklands, Jan 1983) (Part 2) Begins: 1983 Jan 10 Ends: 1983 Mar 29 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Any docs withheld? 5 Classification: Secret Pages: 153
PREM19/1114 Regional policy (Urban Development Corporations; regeneration of Liverpool and London Docklands; Medway Towns; inner city policy and problems) (Part 3) Begins: 1981 Nov 19 Ends: 1983 Aug 9 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Classification: Confidential Pages: 248
PREM19/1115 Regional policy (Review of regional policy, creation of Enterprise Zones) (Part 4) Begins: 1981 Jun 30 Ends: 1983 Jan 27 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Classification: Confidential Pages: 215
PREM19/1116 Regional policy (Review of regional policy; creation of Enterprise Zones) (Part 5) Begins: 1983 Feb 11 Ends: 1983 Oct 31 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Classification: Confidential Pages: 206
PREM19/1117 Romania (Visit to UK by Manea Manescu, Vice President of the Romanian State Council and member of the Political Executive Committee of the Romanian Communist Party) Begins: 1983 Jun 22 Ends: 1983 Sep 28 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Any docs withheld? 1 Classification: Confidential Pages: 33
PREM19/1118 Royal family (Public memorial to Lord Mountbatten; appeal for statue; selection of sculptor; arrangements for unveiling ceremony) (Part 2) Begins: 1981 Jun 3 Ends: 1983 Sep 29 Date of release: 2014 Feb 14 Classification: Confidential Pages: 265
PREM19/1119 Royal family (Public memorial to Lord Mountbatten: statue unveiling ceremony, 2 November 1983) (Part 3) Begins: 1983 Oct 3 Ends: 1983 Nov 8 Date of release: 2014 Feb 14 Any docs withheld? 3 Classification: Confidential Pages: 137
PREM19/1120 Royal family (Queen Mother's visits to Northern Ireland, April 1982 and June 1983) Begins: 1982 Apr 20 Ends: 1983 Jun 17 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Classification: Secret Pages: 8
PREM19/1121 Royal family (Visits to Northern Ireland by the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester) Begins: 1981 Jun 12 Ends: 1983 Nov 21 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Classification: Secret Pages: 9
PREM19/1122 Royal family (Visit to Zimbabwe by Duke of Edinburgh, May 1983) Begins: 1983 Jan 26 Ends: 1983 Jan 31 Date of release: 2013 Aug 1 Classification: Confidential Pages: 5
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