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 3001 - 3050 of 3726

Per page:
File name File title Begins Ends Release date Any docs withheld? Classification Pages
PREM19/3097 Nationalised Industries (Coal mines) (Part 21) Begins: 1987 Nov 4 Ends: 1990 Jun 28 Date of release: 2016 Dec 30 Classification: Secret Pages: 321
PREM19/3098 Nationalised Industries (Gas and electricity pricing policy: privatisation of the electricity supply industry) (Part 18) Begins: 1990 Jan 2 Ends: 1990 Apr 6 Date of release: 2016 Dec 30 Any docs withheld? 6 Classification: Secret Pages: 259
PREM19/3099 Nationalised Industries (Gas and electricity pricing policy: privatisation of the electricity supply industry) (Part 19) Begins: 1990 May 1 Ends: 1990 Nov 15 Date of release: 2016 Dec 30 Any docs withheld? 8 Classification: Secret Pages: 260
PREM19/3100 NATO (NATO Ministerial meetings) Begins: 1979 May 31 Ends: 1990 May 30 Date of release: 2017 Jul 20 Classification: Secret Pages: 212
PREM19/3101 NATO (NATO Policy) Begins: 1980 Jun 20 Ends: 1990 Apr 25 Date of release: 2017 Jul 20 Classification: Secret Pages: 311
PREM19/3102 NATO (NATO Summits) (Part 4) Begins: 1989 Nov 27 Ends: 1990 Jun 27 Date of release: 2017 Jul 20 Any docs withheld? 3 Classification: Secret Pages: 370
PREM19/3103 Nigeria (UK/Nigeria relations: internal situation) (Part 2) Begins: 1986 Oct 22 Ends: 1990 Dec 10 Date of release: 2017 Jul 20 Any docs withheld? 9 Classification: Secret Pages: 360
PREM19/3104 Norway (Internal situation; relations with UK) Begins: 1981 Feb 3 Ends: 1990 May 30 Date of release: 2017 Jul 20 Any docs withheld? 1 Classification: Confidential Pages: 277
PREM19/3106 Parliament (Appointment of Parliamentary Private Secretaries) (Part 3) Begins: 1986 Jun 10 Ends: 1990 Dec 31 Date of release: 2017 Jul 20 Any docs withheld? 8 Classification: Confidential Pages: 430
PREM19/3107 Parliament (House of Commons procedure: Select Committees) (Part 10) Begins: 1989 Apr 7 Ends: 1990 May 29 Date of release: 2017 Jul 20 Classification: Confidential - not for NAO eyes Pages: 397
PREM19/3108 Parliament (Legislative programme) (Part 19) Begins: 1989 Oct 2 Ends: 1990 Mar 30 Date of release: 2017 Jul 20 Classification: Confidential Pages: 444
PREM19/3109 Parliament (Meetings of the North Atlantic Assembly) (Part 1) Begins: 1980 Jul 24 Ends: 1990 Jul 26 Date of release: 2017 Jul 20 Any docs withheld? 10 Classification: Confidential Pages: 318
PREM19/3110 Parliament (Parliamentary scrutiny of European Community legislation: UK representation in European Community institutions; House of Commons links with the European Community) Begins: 1980 May 7 Ends: 1990 Oct 7 Date of release: 2016 Dec 30 Classification: Confidential Pages: 165
PREM19/3111 Parliament (Queen's Speeches on prorogation and opening of Parliament; televising the proceedings of the House of Commons) (Part 9) Begins: 1988 Dec 6 Ends: 1990 Jul 31 Date of release: 2016 Dec 30 Any docs withheld? 10 Classification: Secret Pages: 287
PREM19/3112 Police (Police policy) (Part 3) Begins: 1989 Jan 23 Ends: 1990 Jun 29 Date of release: 2017 Jul 20 Classification: Secret Pages: 162
PREM19/3113 Posts and Telecommunications (Future of the Post Office: sale of Girobank; Telecommunications Duopoly Review) (Part 12) Begins: 1989 Jan 23 Ends: 1990 Jun 20 Date of release: 2017 Jul 20 Classification: Confidential Pages: 289
PREM19/3114 Prime Minister (Prime Minister's speech at Conrad Black dinner, 21 June 1988, and meeting with Conrad Black and the Board of Hollinger, 6 September 1989) Begins: 1988 Jun 21 Ends: 1990 Apr 2 Date of release: 2016 Dec 30 Any docs withheld? 1 Classification: Unclassified Pages: 34
PREM19/3115 Prime Minister (Prime Minister's meeting with Fred Naylor, Honorary Secretary of Parental Alliance for Choice in Education (PACE), 18 June 1990) Begins: 1990 Mar 23 Ends: 1991 Jul 10 Date of release: 2017 Jul 20 Any docs withheld? 1 Classification: Confidential Pages: 42
PREM19/3116 Prime Minister (Prime Minister's meeting with Gerald Carroll, Chairman of the Carroll Group, 22 January 1990) Begins: 1989 Nov 8 Ends: 1990 Oct 1 Date of release: 2017 Jul 20 Any docs withheld? 1 Classification: Restricted Pages: 92
PREM19/3117 Prime Minister (Prime Minister's meetings with Hartley Booth and Lew Wasserman: British Urban Development Ltd; proposed MCA theme park and film studio project at Rainham, Essex) Begins: 1989 May 15 Ends: 1990 May 31 Date of release: 2016 Dec 30 Classification: Confidential Pages: 381
PREM19/3119 Prime Minister (Prime Minister's meeting with John Broome, 7 February 1990: proposed development of Battersea Power Station) Begins: 1990 Feb 2 Ends: 1990 Feb 7 Date of release: 2016 Dec 30 Classification: Confidential Pages: 18
PREM19/3120 Prime Minister (Prime Minister's meetings with Jan Steyn, head of the Urban Foundation in South Africa) Begins: 1988 May 13 Ends: 1990 May 2 Date of release: 2016 Dec 30 Classification: Confidential Pages: 99
PREM19/3121 Prime Minister (Prime Minister's meeting with Lady Porter, 13 September 1990: proposal for a Minister for London) Begins: 1990 Sep 13 Ends: 1990 Nov 18 Date of release: 2016 Dec 30 Classification: Confidential Pages: 60
PREM19/3124 Prime Minister (Prime Minister's meeting with Margaret Harrison, Director of Home-Start, 13 July 1990) Begins: 1990 Jul 6 Ends: 1990 Sep 17 Date of release: 2017 Jul 20 Classification: Confidential Pages: 72
PREM19/3125 Prime Minister (Prime Minister's meeting with Members of the Conservative Backbench Trade and Industry Committee, 16 January 1990) Begins: 1990 Jan 16 Ends: 1990 Jan 16 Date of release: 2017 Jul 20 Classification: Restricted Pages: 4
PREM19/3126 Prime Minister (Prime Minister's meetings and correspondence with Sir Hector Laing, Chairman of United Biscuits) Begins: 1980 Apr 1 Ends: 1990 Mar 2 Date of release: 2017 Jul 20 Classification: Unclassified Pages: 75
PREM19/3127 Prime Minister (Prime Minister's meeting with Dr Hans Blix, Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), 19 June 1990) Begins: 1990 Mar 12 Ends: 1990 Jul 11 Date of release: 2017 Jul 20 Classification: Confidential Pages: 25
PREM19/3128 Prime Minister (Prime Minister's meetings with Nicholas Ridley, Secretary of State for Trade and Industry) Begins: 1989 Sep 5 Ends: 1990 May 21 Date of release: 2017 Jul 20 Classification: Secret Pages: 15
PREM19/3129 Prime Minister (Prime Minister's meeting with Thomas Phillips, Chairman of Raytheon, 19 June 1990) Begins: 1990 May 14 Ends: 1990 Jun 19 Date of release: 2017 Jul 20 Classification: Unclassified Pages: 12
PREM19/3130 Prime Minister (Visits to UK by the Secretary-General of Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)) Begins: 1982 Oct 21 Ends: 1990 Feb 27 Date of release: 2017 Jul 20 Classification: Confidential Pages: 88
PREM19/3131 Prime Minister (Prime Minister's meetings and correspondence with Yehudi Menuhin, founder of the Yehudi Menuhin School) Begins: 1980 Sep 27 Ends: 1990 Jun 18 Date of release: 2017 Jul 20 Classification: Unclassified Pages: 104
PREM19/3132 Prime Minister's Tours Abroad (Prime Minister's visit to Switzerland, Czechoslovakia and Hungary, September 1990: administrative arrangements) Begins: 1989 Dec 1 Ends: 1990 Oct 18 Date of release: 2016 Dec 30 Any docs withheld? 8 Classification: Confidential Pages: 370
PREM19/3133 Prime Minister's Tours Abroad (Prime Minister's visit to European Council meeting in Rome, December 1990: administrative arrangements) Begins: 1990 Nov 9 Ends: 1990 Dec 17 Date of release: 2016 Dec 30 Any docs withheld? 2 Classification: Confidential Pages: 41
PREM19/3135 Prime Minister's Tours Abroad (Extraordinary European Council meeting in Rome, October 1990: administrative arrangements) Begins: 1990 Sep 27 Ends: 1990 Oct 29 Date of release: 2016 Dec 30 Any docs withheld? 8 Classification: Confidential Pages: 38
PREM19/3136 Prime Minister's Tours Abroad (Prime Minister's visit to Aspen, Colorado, USA, August 1990: administrative arrangements) Begins: 1989 Dec 20 Ends: 1990 Oct 2 Date of release: 2017 Jul 20 Any docs withheld? 3 Classification: Confidential Pages: 236
PREM19/3137 Prime Minister's Tours Abroad (Prime Minister's visit to Bermuda, April 1990: administrative arrangements) Begins: 1990 Mar 9 Ends: 1990 Jul 12 Date of release: 2017 Jul 20 Any docs withheld? 11 Classification: Secret Pages: 223
PREM19/3138 Prime Minister's Tours Abroad (Prime Minister's visit to Helsinki, August 1990: administrative arrangements) Begins: 1990 Mar 1 Ends: 1990 Oct 2 Date of release: 2017 Jul 20 Any docs withheld? 8 Classification: Confidential Pages: 122
PREM19/3139 Prime Minister's Tours Abroad (Prime Minister's visit to New York to attend World Summit for Children and to receive UNIFEM award, September-October 1990: administrative arrangements) Begins: 1989 Oct 13 Ends: 1990 Oct 15 Date of release: 2017 Jul 20 Any docs withheld? 7 Classification: Secret Pages: 174
PREM19/3140 Prime Minister's Tours Abroad (Prime Minister's visit to Paris, January 1990: administrative arrangements) Begins: 1990 Jan 8 Ends: 1990 Jan 19 Date of release: 2017 Jul 20 Any docs withheld? 2 Classification: Confidential Pages: 9
PREM19/3141 Prime Minister's Tours Abroad (Prime Minister's possible visit to Paris to attend European Democratic Union (EDU) working dinner, February 1990: administrative arrangements) Begins: 1990 Feb 5 Ends: 1990 Feb 15 Date of release: 2017 Jul 20 Classification: Secret Pages: 6
PREM19/3142 Prime Minister's Tours Abroad (Prime Minister's visit to Paris to attend the Heads of Government dinner, November 1989: administrative arrangements) Begins: 1989 Nov 15 Ends: 1990 Jan 10 Date of release: 2017 Jul 20 Any docs withheld? 2 Classification: Confidential Pages: 18
PREM19/3143 Prime Minister's Tours Abroad (Prime Minister's visit to the Conference on the Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) Summit in Paris, November 1990: administrative arrangements) Begins: 1990 Oct 17 Ends: 1990 Nov 26 Date of release: 2017 Jul 20 Any docs withheld? 2 Classification: Confidential Pages: 125
PREM19/3145 Prime Minister's Tours Abroad (Prime Minister's visit to the second World Climate Conference, Geneva, November 1990: administrative arrangements) Begins: 1990 Oct 4 Ends: 1990 Nov 26 Date of release: 2017 Jul 20 Any docs withheld? 2 Classification: Confidential Pages: 38
PREM19/3146 Prime Minister's Tours Abroad (Prime Minister's visit to Turkey, April 1990: administrative arrangements) Begins: 1989 Nov 23 Ends: 1990 May 21 Date of release: 2017 Jul 20 Any docs withheld? 7 Classification: Confidential Pages: 158
PREM19/3147 Prime Minister's Tours Abroad (Prime Minister's visit to the Soviet Union, June 1990: administrative arrangements) Begins: 1989 Oct 6 Ends: 1990 Jun 21 Date of release: 2016 Dec 30 Any docs withheld? 6 Classification: Secret Pages: 176
PREM19/3154 Science and Technology (Advisory Council for Applied Research and Development (ACARD): reports on biotechnology) Begins: 1980 Jan 28 Ends: 1990 Nov 8 Date of release: 2017 Jul 20 Classification: Confidential Pages: 370
PREM19/3155 Science and Technology (Maintaining the strength of the science base: the science budget; report on 'Developments in Biotechnology') (Part 10) Begins: 1990 Jan 2 Ends: 1990 Mar 30 Date of release: 2017 Jul 20 Classification: Confidential Pages: 337
PREM19/3156 Science and Technology (Maintaining the strength of the science base: the science budget) (Part 11) Begins: 1990 Apr 2 Ends: 1990 Dec 28 Date of release: 2016 Dec 30 Classification: Secret Pages: 212
PREM19/3157 Science and Technology (Prime Minister's seminars on developments in science, 8 July 1984, 13 September 1989 and 26 September 1990) (Part 2) Begins: 1984 Mar 5 Ends: 1990 Oct 2 Date of release: 2016 Dec 30 Classification: Confidential Pages: 249
PREM19/3158 Scotland (Regional policy: industrial policy; Scottish Enterprise) (Part 2) Begins: 1988 Dec 1 Ends: 1990 Nov 14 Date of release: 2016 Dec 30 Classification: Confidential Pages: 261
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