Wednesday 15th July 1981
E at commons 8.15-11.00 on Prior package. All E (except JP [Jim Prior] and Walker) thought my scheme splendid or brilliant or imaginative etc. PM, KJ [Keith Joseph] etc. emphasised real jobs.
Biffen - YOP [Youth Opportunities Programme] not a success. Cosmetic. GH [SirGeoffrey Howe] and Leon [Leon Brittan] very much saw it as a first PESC bid. JP tried frantically to get a quick (because of a leak) £1.5 Bn - no support at all. He appealed for a U-turn on public spending. E agreed to his £90m or so for 1981-2 and £130m for 1982/3 for YOP, apprenticeships etc. But expansion to COSY [sic: possibly acronym for Comprehensive Scheme for Youth] and my scheme etc. remitted to Ministerial committee.