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 3151 - 3200 of 3726

Per page:

File name	File title	Begins	Ends	Release date	Any docs withheld?	Classification	Pages
PREM19/3317	European Policy (European Council meeting, Maastricht, December 1991) (Part 39)	Begins: 1991 Jan 18	Ends: 1991 Nov 29	Date of release: 2017 Jul 20	Any docs withheld? 3	Classification: Secret	Pages: 291
PREM19/3319	European Policy (European Council meeting, Luxembourg, June 1991) (Part 38A)	Begins: 1990 Apr 27	Ends: 1991 Jun 16	Date of release: 2017 Jul 20	Any docs withheld? 2	Classification: Confidential	Pages: 384
PREM19/3321	European Policy (European Council meeting, Rome, December 1990) (Part 38)	Begins: 1990 Nov 8	Ends: 1991 Apr 11	Date of release: 2017 Jul 20	Any docs withheld? 1	Classification: Secret	Pages: 802
PREM19/3325	European Policy (European Monetary System (EMS): economic and monetary union) (Part 9)	Begins: 1990 Nov 8	Ends: 1991 Feb 27	Date of release: 2017 Jul 20		Classification: Secret	Pages: 424
PREM19/3328	European Policy (Setting up of European Bank for Reconstruction and Development) (Part 2)	Begins: 1990 Oct 4	Ends: 1991 Apr 11	Date of release: 2017 Dec 29	Any docs withheld? 3	Classification: Confidential	Pages: 321
PREM19/3329	Ex-Prime Ministers (Policy on requests by former Prime Ministers for access to papers from their administration) (Part 1)	Begins: 1974 Apr 1	Ends: 1991 Jan 24	Date of release: 2023 Jul 20
PREM19/3331	Finland (UK/Finland relations: appointment of Prime Ministers; visits of President and Prime Ministers of Finland) (Part 1)	Begins: 1979 Jun 1	Ends: 1991 Dec 3	Date of release: 2017 Jul 20	Any docs withheld? 1	Classification: Confidential	Pages: 332
PREM19/3332	Food (Food safety) (Part 4)	Begins: 1990 May 1	Ends: 1991 Aug 9	Date of release: 2017 Jul 20		Classification: Confidential	Pages: 116
PREM19/3333	Foreign Policy (Allegations concerning war crimes: War Crimes Inquiry; War Crimes Bill) (Part 3)	Begins: 1990 Jan 1	Ends: 1991 May 1	Date of release: 2017 Jul 20		Classification: Confidential	Pages: 212
PREM19/3334	Foreign Policy (Relations between UK, France and Federal Republic of Germany)	Begins: 1987 Apr 3	Ends: 1991 Feb 19	Date of release: 2017 Jul 20	Any docs withheld? 3	Classification: Top Secret	Pages: 43
PREM19/3335	Foreign Policy (Newsletters from Brian Crozier: 'World Briefing' (privately funded monthly intelligence analysis)) (Part 7)	Begins: 1990 Jan 1	Ends: 1991 May 31	Date of release: 2017 Jul 20		Classification: Unclassified	Pages: 309
PREM19/3340	Foreign policy (Prime Minister's meetings with the Foreign Secretary) (Part 2)	Begins: 1987 Oct 20	Ends: 1990 Dec 18	Date of release: 2019 Jul 18	Any docs withheld? 20	Classification: Secret	Pages: 208
PREM19/3341	Foreign Policy (Quadripartite meetings (at Ministerial and Prime Minister level): meetings of Personal Representatives; USA/European relations)	Begins: 1980 Jan 1	Ends: 1991 Jul 31	Date of release: 2017 Jul 20	Any docs withheld? 2	Classification: Secret - Burning Bush	Pages: 189
PREM19/3342	Foreign Policy (Summary notes on Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC) Assessments) (Part 4)	Begins: 1989 Aug 1	Ends: 1991 Feb 22	Date of release: Temporarily Retained by Department
PREM19/3343	France (Internal situation) (Part 3)	Begins: 1986 Oct 7	Ends: 1991 Nov 21	Date of release: 2017 Jul 20	Any docs withheld? 5	Classification: Secret	Pages: 445
PREM19/3344	France (Anglo-French relations) (Part 5)	Begins: 1988 Dec 8	Ends: 1991 Feb 26	Date of release: 2017 Jul 20	Any docs withheld? 6	Classification: Secret	Pages: 232
PREM19/3346	France (Prime Minister's visits to France: Anglo-French Summits) (Part 7)	Begins: 1989 Mar 1	Ends: 1991 Jul 31	Date of release: 2017 Jul 20	Any docs withheld? 4	Classification: Secret	Pages: 270
PREM19/3347	France (Visits to the UK by Jacques Chirac (Mayor of Paris / Prime Minister) and Michel Rocard (Prime Minister)) (Part 1)	Begins: 1982 Jan 25	Ends: 1991 Mar 27	Date of release: 2017 Jul 20	Any docs withheld? 7	Classification: Top Secret - UK Eyes A	Pages: 340
PREM19/3348	France (Visits to UK by President Mitterrand) (Part 7)	Begins: 1989 Sep 1	Ends: 1991 Dec 6	Date of release: 2017 Jul 20	Any docs withheld? 14	Classification: Secret - UK Eyes A	Pages: 230
PREM19/3349	Gabon (UK/Gabon relations) (Part 1)	Begins: 1980 Jan 3	Ends: 1991 Mar 12	Date of release: 2017 Jul 20		Classification: Confidential	Pages: 122
PREM19/3350	Germany (Chancellor Schmidt's visit to Moscow, June-July 1980: relations between Federal Republic of Germany and USSR) (Part 1)	Begins: 1980 Apr 14	Ends: 1991 Feb 11	Date of release: 2017 Jul 20	Any docs withheld? 4	Classification: Secret	Pages: 107
PREM19/3351	Germany (Anglo-German relations) (Part 6)	Begins: 1990 Oct 15	Ends: 1991 Jul 9	Date of release: 2017 Jul 20	Any docs withheld? 3	Classification: Secret	Pages: 301
PREM19/3352	Germany (Prime Minister's meetings with Chancellor Kohl in Germany) (Part 8)	Begins: 1989 Apr 10	Ends: 1991 Feb 28	Date of release: 2017 Jul 20	Any docs withheld? 6	Classification: Secret	Pages: 215
PREM19/3355	Germany (Replacement of Federal German Ambassadors in London: Prime Minister's meetings with FRG Ambassadors) (Part 1)	Begins: 1979 Jun 19	Ends: 1991 Feb 19	Date of release: 2017 Jul 20	Any docs withheld? 3	Classification: Confidential	Pages: 46
PREM19/3356	Germany (Rudolf Hess)	Begins: 1980 Feb 28	Ends: 1991 Jun 11	Date of release: 2017 Jul 20	Any docs withheld? 1	Classification: Secret	Pages: 100
PREM19/3357	Government Buildings (Proposal from Professor Randolph Quirk for University of London to move into Somerset House: relocation of government offices from Somerset House; relocation to London Docklands) (Part 1)	Begins: 1982 Jun 1	Ends: 1991 Jun 21	Date of release: 2017 Jul 20		Classification: Confidential	Pages: 220
PREM19/3358	Government Hospitality (The standard of catering and service provided by the Government Hospitality Fund: recommendation that government hospitality be subject to a Rayner study)	Begins: 1979 Jul 5	Ends: 1991 May 31	Date of release: 2017 Jul 20		Classification: Confidential	Pages: 132
PREM19/3366	Government Machinery (Correspondence from Members of Parliament (MPs)) (Part 1)	Begins: 1979 Jun 19	Ends: 1991 Jun 7	Date of release: 2017 Jul 20	Any docs withheld? 2	Classification: Unclassified	Pages: 75
PREM19/3367	Government Machinery (Forthcoming announcements and publications) (Part 5)	Begins: 1989 Sep 1	Ends: 1991 Jul 22	Date of release: 2017 Jul 20		Classification: Secret	Pages: 255
PREM19/3368	Government Machinery (Presentation of government policies) (Part 2)	Begins: 1986 Aug 1	Ends: 1991 May 31	Date of release: 2017 Jul 20	Any docs withheld? 3	Classification: Secret	Pages: 328
PREM19/3369	Government Machinery (Rayner Scrutiny Programme: promotion of efficiency and elimination of waste: Next Steps initiative; future of Deregulation Initiative) (Part 35)	Begins: 1990 Aug 1	Ends: 1991 Jan 28	Date of release: 2017 Jul 20		Classification: Confidential	Pages: 322
PREM19/3372	Government Machinery (Review of Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency (CCTA): Government Telecommunications Service)	Begins: 1984 Jan 1	Ends: 1991 Jan 7	Date of release: 2017 Jul 20	Any docs withheld? 2	Classification: Confidential	Pages: 368
PREM19/3373	Government Machinery (Shareholding in British Nuclear Fuels Ltd (BNFL): future of BNFL; BNFL pay negotiations)	Begins: 1981 Feb 19	Ends: 1991 Jul 1	Date of release: 2017 Jul 20		Classification: Confidential	Pages: 159
PREM19/3374	Greece (Visits to UK of Greek Prime Ministers, Tzannis Tzannetakis and his successor Konstantinos Mitsotakis) (Part 2)	Begins: 1989 Sep 11	Ends: 1991 Sep 27	Date of release: 2017 Jul 20	Any docs withheld? 9	Classification: Secret	Pages: 164
PREM19/3375	Home Affairs (Crime prevention: crime statistics) (Part 3)	Begins: 1987 Aug 7	Ends: 1991 Nov 22	Date of release: 2017 Jul 20		Classification: Secret	Pages: 317
PREM19/3376	Home Affairs (The problem of dangerous dogs) (Part 1)	Begins: 1989 Jun 8	Ends: 1991 Mar 29	Date of release: 2017 Jul 20		Classification: Confidential	Pages: 264
PREM19/3378	Home Affairs (Government support for voluntary bodies) (Part 2)	Begins: 1989 Jul 10	Ends: 1991 Oct 17	Date of release: 2017 Jul 20		Classification: Confidential	Pages: 265
PREM19/3379	Home Affairs (Identity cards) (Part 1)	Begins: 1988 Aug 1	Ends: 1991 Mar 8	Date of release: 2017 Jul 20		Classification: Secret	Pages: 134
PREM19/3380	Home Affairs (Review of the law on public order) (Part 3)	Begins: 1986 Jun 2	Ends: 1991 Jun 17	Date of release: 2017 Jul 20		Classification: Confidential	Pages: 233
PREM19/3381	Home Affairs (Notting Hill Carnival)	Begins: 1979 Aug 24	Ends: 1991 Jul 22	Date of release: 2017 Jul 20	Any docs withheld? 1	Classification: Unclassified	Pages: 37
PREM19/3382	Home Affairs (Probation Service pay: reorganisation of the Probation Service)	Begins: 1979 Jun 5	Ends: 1991 Jun 11	Date of release: 2017 Jul 20		Classification: Confidential	Pages: 164
PREM19/3383	Home Affairs (Registration of children's homes)	Begins: 1979 Jun 7	Ends: 1991 Jun 4	Date of release: Temporarily Retained by Department
PREM19/3384	Home Affairs (Severe weather conditions in the UK)	Begins: 1982 Jan 1	Ends: 1991 Feb 13	Date of release: 2017 Jul 20		Classification: Confidential	Pages: 67
PREM19/3385	Home Affairs (Women's National Commission: policy towards women) (Part 2)	Begins: 1988 Feb 17	Ends: 1991 Nov 28	Date of release: 2017 Jul 20		Classification: Confidential	Pages: 326
PREM19/3386	Hong Kong (Future of Hong Kong) (Part 24)	Begins: 1990 Apr 1	Ends: 1991 Mar 28	Date of release: 2018 Jul 24
PREM19/3389	Hong Kong (Prime Minister's meetings and correspondence with Sir Yue-Kong Pao, shipping magnate) (Part 3)	Begins: 1986 Nov 4	Ends: 1991 Oct 15	Date of release: 2017 Dec 29	Any docs withheld? 10	Classification: Secret	Pages: 170
PREM19/3390	Housing (Housing policy) (Part 17)	Begins: 1990 Jul 1	Ends: 1991 Jul 31	Date of release: 2017 Jul 20		Classification: Secret	Pages: 322
PREM19/3392	Immigration (Immigration Rules: asylum; immigration figures) (Part 5)	Begins: 1990 Sep 1	Ends: 1991 Nov 29	Date of release: 2017 Jul 20	Any docs withheld? 2	Classification: Secret	Pages: 360
PREM19/3393	India (Visit to the UK by Rajiv Gandhi, Prime Minister of India, October 1985) (Part 3)	Begins: 1985 Aug 8	Ends: 1991 Aug 15	Date of release: 2017 Dec 29	Any docs withheld? 3	Classification: Secret	Pages: 228
PREM19/3394	Industrial Policy (Industrial relations legislation: strikes in essential services; Green Paper 'Industrial Relations in the 1990s') (Part 16)	Begins: 1989 Sep 6	Ends: 1991 Nov 25	Date of release: 2017 Jul 20		Classification: Secret	Pages: 361

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