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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