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 2151 - 2200 of 3726

Per page:
File name File title Begins Ends Release date Any docs withheld? Classification Pages
PREM19/2182 France (Prime Minister's visits to France, November 1986 and March and July 1987) (Part 5) Begins: 1986 Oct 21 Ends: 1987 Oct 30 Date of release: 2016 Jul 21 Classification: Top Secret - UK Eyes A Pages: 287
PREM19/2183 France (Visits to UK by Raymond Barre, December 1981, April 1983, January 1986 and March 1987) Begins: 1980 Dec 1 Ends: 1987 Mar 25 Date of release: 2016 Feb 19
PREM19/2184 Germany (750th anniversary of Berlin in 1987) Begins: 1986 Jun 26 Ends: 1987 May 22 Date of release: 2016 Jul 21 Any docs withheld? 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 20
PREM19/2185 Germany (Prime Minister's meetings with Chancellor Helmut Kohl in Germany: Prime Minister's visit with Kohl to British Forces Germany; part 6. Note:Â With map) (Part 6) Begins: 1986 Aug 21 Ends: 1987 Sep 12 Date of release: 2016 Jul 21 Classification: Secret Pages: 210
PREM19/2186 Government Buildings (The Albert Memorial) Begins: 1987 Sep 28 Ends: 1987 Dec 2 Date of release: 2016 Jul 21 Classification: Unclassified Pages: 18
PREM19/2187 Government Buildings (Vacant public property) Begins: 1987 Apr 10 Ends: 1987 Apr 13 Date of release: 2016 Jul 21 Classification: Unclassified Pages: 11
PREM19/2188 Government Buildings (Refurbishing of Cabinet Office Briefing Rooms) (Part 1) Begins: 1980 Jun 1 Ends: 1988 Aug 12 Date of release: Retained Classification: Retained Sec 3.4
PREM19/2189 Government Hospitality (Reception arrangements for official visitors: Guards of Honour in the FCO courtyard. Note: With plans) Begins: 1980 Jan 10 Ends: 1988 Aug 11 Date of release: 2016 Jul 21 Any docs withheld? 3 Classification: Confidential Pages: 120
PREM19/2190 Government Machinery (Transfer of responsibility for policy on legal deposit of books and publications from the Department of Trade and Industry to the Office of Arts and Libraries) Begins: 1985 Dec 5 Ends: 1986 Apr 4 Date of release: 2016 Jul 21 Classification: Management In Confidence Pages: 13
PREM19/2191 Government Machinery (Access of the Comptroller and Auditor General to Cabinet papers and Treasury documents) Begins: 1987 Nov 5 Ends: 1988 Feb 12 Date of release: 2016 Feb 19
PREM19/2192 Government Machinery (Ministerial responsibility for the arts and libraries) Begins: 1979 May 14 Ends: 1987 Jul 16 Date of release: 2016 Feb 19
PREM19/2193 Government Machinery (Monopolies and mergers) (Part 1) Begins: 1983 Jun 30 Ends: 1987 Feb 26 Date of release: 2016 Jul 21 Classification: Secret and Personal Pages: 230
PREM19/2194 Government Machinery (Monopolies and mergers) (Part 2) Begins: 1987 Mar 3 Ends: 1988 Feb 29 Date of release: 2016 Jul 21 Classification: Confidential Pages: 356
PREM19/2195 Government Machinery (Proposed London Weekend Television (LWT) series on the Civil Service and the British system of government) Begins: 1985 Mar 29 Ends: 1988 Apr 15 Date of release: 2016 Feb 19
PREM19/2196 Government Machinery (Propriety of Ministers arranging briefing for Conservative backbenchers) Begins: 1979 Dec 5 Ends: 1988 Nov 10 Date of release: 2016 Jul 21 Classification: Unclassified Pages: 13
PREM19/2197 Government Machinery (Reduction in number of circulars from government departments to local authorities) Begins: 1979 May 8 Ends: 1987 Jul 6 Date of release: 2016 Feb 19
PREM19/2198 Government Machinery (Annual reports on the Government Statistical Service; review of statistical services) (Part 2) Begins: 1984 Apr 16 Ends: 1988 Nov 25 Date of release: 2016 Feb 19
PREM19/2199 Government Machinery (Special advisers; appointment procedure) (Part 3) Begins: 1984 Jan 12 Ends: 1987 Jun 29 Date of release: Retained Classification: Temporarily retained by Department
PREM19/2200 Government Machinery (Future of Atomic Weapons Research Establishment (AWRE) and nuclear Royal Ordnance Factories; privatisation of Royal Ordnance Factories) Begins: 1980 Sep 22 Ends: 1988 Jul 26 Date of release: 2016 Feb 19
PREM19/2201 Government Machinery (Review of the Lobby system of briefing journalists) Begins: 1981 Oct 27 Ends: 1987 Jul 10 Date of release: 2016 Feb 19
PREM19/2202 Government Machinery (Rayner Scrutiny programme: promotion of efficiency and elimination of waste)(Part 22) Begins: 1986 Nov 3 Ends: 1987 Jan 27 Date of release: 2015 Dec 30 Classification: Secret Pages: 205
PREM19/2203 Government Machinery (Rayner Scrutiny programme: promotion of efficiency and elimination of waste)(Part 23) Begins: 1987 Feb 2 Ends: 1987 Jun 26 Date of release: 2015 Dec 30 Classification: Confidential and Personal Pages: 292
PREM19/2204 Government Machinery (Rayner Scrutiny programme: promotion of efficiency and elimination of waste)(Part 24) Begins: 1987 Jul 2 Ends: 1987 Oct 30 Date of release: 2015 Dec 30 Classification: Confidential Pages: 230
PREM19/2205 Government Machinery (Rayner Scrutiny programme: promotion of efficiency and elimination of waste)(Part 25) Begins: 1987 Nov 13 Ends: 1988 Jan 13 Date of release: 2015 Dec 30 Classification: Confidential & Management in Confidence Pages: 292
PREM19/2206 Government Machinery (Rayner Scrutiny programme: promotion of efficiency and elimination of waste)(Part 26) Begins: 1988 Jan 14 Ends: 1988 Feb 26 Date of release: 2015 Dec 30 Classification: Secret Pages: 206
PREM19/2207 Government Machinery (Rayner Scrutiny programme: promotion of efficiency and elimination of waste)(Part 27) Begins: 1988 Jan 21 Ends: 1988 Aug 5 Date of release: 2015 Dec 30 Classification: Confidential & Management in Confidence Pages: 295
PREM19/2208 Government Machinery (Rayner Scrutiny programme: promotion of efficiency and elimination of waste)(Part 28) Begins: 1988 Aug 5 Ends: 1988 Nov 29 Date of release: 2015 Dec 30 Classification: Confidential and Personal Pages: 380
PREM19/2209 Government Machinery (The Strategy Group) Begins: 1986 Jun 9 Ends: 1987 Jun 24 Date of release: 2016 Jul 21 Classification: Secret and Personal Pages: 198
PREM19/2210 Government Machinery (Possible transfer of functions between departments) Begins: 1987 Jan 30 Ends: 1987 May 21 Date of release: 2015 Dec 30 Classification: Secret and Personal Pages: 55
PREM19/2211 Greece (UK/Greek relations) (Part 1) Begins: 1980 May 1 Ends: 1987 Mar 31 Date of release: 2017 Dec 29 Any docs withheld? 11 Classification: Secret Pages: 242
PREM19/2212 Greece (Visits to UK by Andreas Papandreou as Leader of the Opposition and as Prime Minister) (Part 1) Begins: 1980 Oct 24 Ends: 1988 Nov 8 Date of release: 2016 Jul 21 Classification: Confidential Pages: 200
PREM19/2213 Guyana (Visits to UK by Guyanese Presidents Forbes Burnham and Desmond Hoyte) Begins: 1980 Jan 11 Ends: 1988 May 11 Date of release: 2016 Jul 21 Any docs withheld? 4 Classification: Confidential Pages: 219
PREM19/2214 Histories (Histories of Special Operations Executive (SOE)) Begins: 1980 May 1 Ends: 1988 Nov 24 Date of release: 2015 Dec 30 Classification: Secret and Personal Pages: 32
PREM19/2215 Home Affairs (The 1981 and 1991 Census) Begins: 1979 Aug 13 Ends: 1987 Sep 30 Date of release: 2016 Jul 21 Classification: Confidential Pages: 172
PREM19/2216 Home Affairs (Assaults on children: inquiry into child abuse and attached report on child abuse in Cleveland; activities of the Paedophile International Exchange) (Part 1) Begins: 1983 Sep 1 Ends: 1988 Sep 5 Date of release: 2020 Dec 30
PREM19/2217 Home Affairs (Capital punishment; sentencing policy) (Part 2) Begins: 1986 Mar 7 Ends: 1987 Feb 23 Date of release: 2016 Jul 21 Classification: Confidential Pages: 199
PREM19/2218 Home Affairs (Home Secretary's seminar on crime prevention, June 1986, and subsequent action) (Part 2) Begins: 1986 Apr 10 Ends: 1987 Jul 24 Date of release: 2016 Jul 21 Any docs withheld? 1 Classification: Confidential Pages: 115
PREM19/2219 Home Affairs (Data protection) (Part 1) Begins: 1980 Nov 27 Ends: 1987 Sep 30 Date of release: 2016 Jul 21 Any docs withheld? 1 Classification: Confidential Pages: 159
PREM19/2220 Home Affairs (Demonstrations outside Embassies) Begins: 1987 Oct 16 Ends: 1988 Feb 8 Date of release: 2016 Jul 21 Classification: Confidential Pages: 27
PREM19/2221 Home Affairs (Government grants to National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux) Begins: 1983 Apr 12 Ends: 1988 Nov 15 Date of release: 2016 Jul 21 Classification: Confidential Pages: 61
PREM19/2222 Home Affairs (Monopolies and Mergers Commission Report on proposed takeover of House of Fraser by Lonrho) Begins: 1987 Jan 12 Ends: 1987 Oct 28 Date of release: Retained Classification: Closed for 40 years
PREM19/2223 Home Affairs (Parole position of Myra Hindley and Ian Brady) Begins: 1985 Feb 19 Ends: 1987 Mar 24 Date of release: Retained Classification: Retained Sec 3.4
PREM19/2224 Home Affairs (Policy towards the Prison Service: increase in the prison population) (Part 3) Begins: 1986 Jun 12 Ends: 1987 Oct 27 Date of release: 2016 Nov 7 Any docs withheld? 2 Classification: Secret and Personal Pages: 292
PREM19/2225 Home Affairs (Possible 'Festival of Britain' in 1991) Begins: 1987 Oct 2 Ends: 1987 Oct 27 Date of release: 2016 Jul 21 Classification: Confidential and Personal Pages: 5
PREM19/2226 Home Affairs (Review of entry clearance policy; implementation of the Keith Report on the enforcement powers of the Revenue Departments; Crown Prosecution Service) (Part 3) Begins: 1986 Mar 14 Ends: 1988 Jul 29 Date of release: 2016 Jul 21 Classification: Confidential Pages: 144
PREM19/2227 Home Affairs (Behaviour of British football fans abroad: football hooliganism) (Part 6) Begins: 1986 Sep 25 Ends: 1988 Jun 29 Date of release: 2016 Dec 30 Classification: Unclassified Pages: 69
PREM19/2228 Home Affairs (Women's National Commission) (Part 1) Begins: 1979 May 14 Ends: 1988 Jan 21 Date of release: 2016 Jul 21 Any docs withheld? 3 Classification: Confidential and Personal Pages: 306
PREM19/2229 Home Affairs (Mr Justice May's Inquiry into the UK Prison Service; Prison Service pay and dispute; appointment of a Prisons Inspectorate; prison population) Begins: 1979 Oct 4 Ends: 1986 Apr 10 Date of release: 2016 Feb 19
PREM19/2230 Hong Kong (Future of Hong Kong) (Part 19) Begins: 1986 Nov 18 Ends: 1987 Sep 9 Date of release: 2018 Dec 28
PREM19/2231 Hong Kong (Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC)) Begins: 1985 Aug 28 Ends: 1987 Jul 21 Date of release: Retained Classification: Closed for 40 years
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