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Showing items 1 - 38 of 38.

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PDF 83 Sep 21 We Declassified documents Major Archive (TNA) Broadcasting: Chancellor of the Exchequer letter to Parkinson ("STC and the TAT 8 Transatlantic Telecommunications Cable") ["I am not happy about Government taking on this kind of unpredictable, and potentially very costly, contingent liability"] [declassified Jan 2014]
PDF 83 Sep 30 Fr Declassified documents Major Archive (TNA) Broadcasting: No.10 note to MT (Direct Broadcasting by Satellite: BBC/Unisat project) ["This letter is from a friend of mine [John Anderson], who... believes... that the project is on a disaster course"] [declassified Jan 2014]
PDF 83 Oct 31 Mo Declassified documents Major Archive (TNA) Broadcasting: Independent Broadcasting Authority record of conversation (MT, Ingham, members of IBA) ["Internal note of discussion at lunch with the Prime Minister 31.10.83"] [declassified Jan 2014]
PDF 83 Nov 3 Th Declassified documents Major Archive (TNA) Broadcasting: Sir Antony Part letter to Brittan ("Direct Broadcasting by Satellite: Technical Transmission Standards") ["a high level political approach... might now clinch the French Government's acceptance of the C-MAC packet system as the single European standard"] [declassified Jan 2014]
PDF 83 Nov 4 Fr Declassified documents Major Archive (TNA) Broadcasting: Brittan letter to Heseltine ("Cable Bill: the Question of Reserve Ministerial Powers") ["My conclusion is that we should not seek to take powers of this kind"] [declassified Jan 2014]
PDF 83 Nov 22 Tu Declassified documents Major Archive (TNA) Broadcasting: No.10 minute to MT ("Cable Broadcasting") [obscenity and libel] [declassified Jan 2014]
PDF 83 Nov 23 We Declassified documents Major Archive (TNA) Broadcasting: Prior letter to Brittan ("Cable and Broadcasting Bill") ["monitoring and vetting programme content... likely to offend tastes and sensitivities in Northern Ireland"] [declassified Jan 2014]
PDF 83 Nov 30 We Declassified documents Major Archive (TNA) Broadcasting: Policy Unit minute to Turnbull ("Cable Franchises") [capital allowances; BT involvement; selection of consortia; MT queries Treasury awareness of potential sticking point] [declassified Jan 2014]
PDF 83 Dec 12 Mo Declassified documents Major Archive (TNA) Broadcasting: Britsat Limited letter to No.10 (Direct Broadcasting by Satellite: the BBC/Unisat Project) ["our alternative project has been thoroughly checked out... and on this basis we have recently submitted an unsolicited offer to the BBC"] [declassified Jan 2014]
PDF 83 Dec 14 We Declassified documents Major Archive (TNA) Broadcasting: Brittan minute to MT ("Direct Broadcasting by Satellite: the BBC/Unisat Project") ["We face the possibility of a public row and perhaps legal action in which the BBC and Unisat will blame each other and perhaps the Government... The outlook, therefore, is bleak"] [declassified Jan 2014]
PDF 83 Dec 15 Th Declassified documents Major Archive (TNA) Broadcasting: Tebbit minute to MT ("Direct Broadcasting by Satellite: the BBC/Unisat Project") ["breakdown of this project... [risks] a public row... legal consequences... [and] considerable damage to our relations with Industry... Nevertheless... the BBC... should not be compelled to go ahead with DBS if they no longer wish to do so"] [declassified Jan 2014]
PDF 83 Dec 16 Fr Declassified documents Major Archive (TNA) Broadcasting: No.10 minute (internal): Policy Unit to Barclay ("Direct Broadcasting by Satellite (DBS)") ["We have too long a history of arm-twisting nationalised industries - and private ones too - into costly enterprises... with disastrous results... The embarrassment is largely Unisat's own fault for committing funds without being certain of the BBC's decision... We should avoid any panic and rushed decisions"] [declassified Jan 2014]
PDF 83 Dec 16 Fr Declassified documents Major Archive (TNA) Broadcasting: No.10 minute to MT ("Direct broadcasting by satellite") [summary of recent minutes from Tebbit, Brittan, Cabinet Office & Policy Unit; "The crisis point has not yet been reached"] [declassified Jan 2014]
PDF 83 Dec 16 Fr Declassified documents Major Archive (TNA) Broadcasting: Brittan PS letter to No.10 ("Direct Broadcasting by Satellite: the BBC/Unisat Project") [progress report] [declassified Jan 2014]
PDF 83 Dec 21 We Declassified documents Major Archive (TNA) Broadcasting: No.10 minute to MT ("Unisat") [summary of recent situation report correspondence (attached) from Brittan & Tebbit and of advice from Policy Unit rejecting under-writing of future costs, with which MT concurs] [declassified Jan 2014]
PDF 84 Jan 10 Tu Declassified documents Minor Archive (TNA) Broadcasting: Brittan PS letter to Walker PS ("Cable Bill - reserve Ministerial powers") [regulation of transmission hours for cable tv in time of emergency] [declassified Jan 2014]
PDF 84 Jan 12 Th Declassified documents Major Archive (TNA) Broadcasting: Brittan PS letter to No.10 ("Direct Broadcasting by Satellite: the BBC/Unisat project") ["Ministers on Tuesday asked Mr Jeffrey Sterling, special adviser to Mr Tebbit, to explore with all parties whether there were ways of avoiding an imminent collapse of the project"; detailed situation report] [declassified Jan 2014]
PDF 84 Jan 26 Th Declassified documents Major Archive (TNA) Broadcasting: No.10 minute to MT ("Direct Broadcasting by Satellite") ["[Brittan] feels that Sir Antony Part has exceeded his remit in offering advice on issues which go well beyond the question of transmission standards"; draft reply rebutting Part's criticisms of DBS project handling] [declassified Jan 2014]
PDF 84 Feb 14 Tu Declassified documents Major Archive (TNA) Broadcasting: No.10 minute (internal): Policy Unit to Barclay ("DBS") [Direct Broadcasting by Satellite: latest position on joint project; advice against providing Government reassurances on protection from competition and tax liabilities ] [declassified Jan 2014]
PDF 84 Feb 14 Tu Declassified documents Major Archive (TNA) Broadcasting: No.10 minute to MT (independent national radio) [enabling legislation via Cable & Broadcasting Bill; dispute with Treasury about financing] [declassified Jan 2014]
PDF 84 Feb 15 We Declassified documents Major Archive (TNA) Broadcasting: No.10 record of conversation (MT, Ingham, members of the Independent Television Companies Association Limited) [Direct Broadcasting by Satellite venture: "Essentially their concern was the problem of raising £200m to finance their share of the venture"] [declassified Jan 2014]
PDF 84 Mar 1 Th Declassified documents Major Archive (TNA) Broadcasting: No.10 minute (internal): Policy Unit to Turnbull ("Cable and Satellite Broadcasting") ["The response of the market place confirms that our policy... is correct... We should not, however, use public money... to stimulate investement"] [declassified Jan 2014]
PDF 84 Mar 15 Th Declassified documents Major Archive (TNA) Broadcasting: Brittan letter to Sir Antony Part (Direct Broadcasting by Satellite (DBS): transmission standards) ["a suitable moment for us to consider you discharged from the commission which you so kindly accepted from us"] [declassified Jan 2014]
PDF 84 Mar 27 Tu Declassified documents Major Archive (TNA) Broadcasting: No.10 Policy Unit minute to MT ("Broadcasting, Narrowcasting, Computers and Telephones") ["a brief aide memoire setting out the interconnections and the problems"] [declassified Jan 2014]
PDF 84 Mar 30 Fr Declassified documents Major Archive (TNA) Broadcasting: Tebbit PS letter to No.10 ("Mr J G Anderson: Direct Broadcasting by Satellite in the UK") ["represents US satellite manufacturing interests... seeks to denigrate and misrepresent the proposals of the... consortium... which the BBC had selected to provide a DBS satellite... [suggest] a neutral reply on the lines of the attached draft"] [declassified Jan 2014]
PDF 84 Mar 30 Fr Declassified documents Major Archive (TNA) Broadcasting: No.10 Policy Unit minute to MT ("DBS") [Direct Broadcasting by Satellite: criticism of project & Government over-commitment; third party involvement; alternative options; recommendation that MT convene review meeting] [declassified Jan 2014]
PDF 84 Mar 30 Fr Declassified documents Major Archive (TNA) Broadcasting: Brittan minute to MT ("Direct Broadcasting by Satellite (DBS): A Joint Project") ["In the attached memorandum... [Tebbit] and I set out our joint conclusions... propose to announce the general lines of our policy"; potential risks to project going head; News International rival scheme; MT requests meeting of key Ministers] [declassified Jan 2014]
PDF 84 Apr 3 Tu Declassified documents Major Archive (TNA) Broadcasting: Policy Unit minute to Turnbull ("AT&T") ["Closer relationships... [with] AT&T... likely to give our companies a better chance of succeeding in an increasingly competitive world market place"] [declassified Jan 2014]
PDF 84 Apr 4 We Declassified documents Major Archive (TNA) Broadcasting: Lord Cockfield minute to MT ("Direct Broadcasting by Satellite") [case against awarding a monopoly; MT requests meeting of key Ministers] [declassified Jan 2014]
PDF 84 Apr 12 Th Declassified documents Major Archive (TNA) Broadcasting: Tebbit minute to MT ("Direct Broadcasting by Satellite (DBS)") ["the project to launch DBS has suffered repeated delays... [further] delay of even 2-3 weeks may lose the chance of a 1987 launch... This is a high-cost, and a high-risk venture"] [declassified Jan 2014]
PDF 84 Apr 12 Th Declassified documents Major Archive (TNA) Broadcasting: Rees minute to MT ("Direct Broadcasting by Satellite (DBS)") ["The broadcasters' apparent reluctance to commit themselves suggests to me that we too should tread warily"] [declassified Jan 2014]
PDF 84 Apr 12 Th Declassified documents Major Archive (TNA) Broadcasting: No.10 minute to MT ("Direct Broadcasting by Satellite") [Tebbit opposed to delay in launch of project if time for consideration is allowed for Lord Cockfield's suggested modifications; MT: "I agree with Lord C. very strongly"] [declassified Jan 2014]
PDF 84 Apr 12 Th Declassified documents Major Archive (TNA) Broadcasting: Lord Cockfield minute to MT ("The DBS Project") [Direct Broadcasting by Satellite: proposed modifications to avoid risk of Government financial commitment; "We came into office convinced of the merits of the free market economy"; MT concurs] [declassified Jan 2014]
PDF 84 Apr 12 Th Declassified documents Major Archive (TNA) Broadcasting: Brittan minute to MT ("Direct Broadcasting by Satellite (DBS)") ["fully agree with [Tebbit]... delay in reaching decisions until 1 May would seriously undermine the chances of success of the joint project"] [declassified Jan 2014]
PDF 84 Apr 18 We Declassified documents Major Archive (TNA) Broadcasting: Brittan PS letter to No.10 ("Direct Broadcasting by Satellite: Joint Project") ["[Brittan] believes it may be helpful to offer the following comments on the two... modifications suggested by [Lord Cockfield]"] [declassified Jan 2014]
PDF 84 Apr 27 Fr Declassified documents Major Archive (TNA) Broadcasting: No.10 Policy Unit briefing for MT ("DBS") [Direct Broadcasting by Satellite; "The joint [BBC/ICTA] venture should only be allowed to proceed if it is commercially viable on its own merits": outline of criteria] [declassified Jan 2014]
PDF 84 Apr 27 Fr Declassified documents Major Archive (TNA) Broadcasting: Cabinet Office briefing for MT ("Direct Broadcasting by Satellite") ["This minute summarises the technological considerations which are a major part of the DBS problem... the penalties of letting this project fail are not catastrophic"] [declassified Jan 2014]
PDF 84 Apr 27 Fr Declassified documents Major Archive (TNA) Broadcasting: Cabinet Office briefing for MT ("Direct Broadcasting by Satellite") [background; key considerations; handling; conclusions] [declassified Jan 2014]
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Documents lie at the core of this website, each one dated and sorted chronologically (by default) in search results. Most are images in PDF format of original paper documents scanned or filmed for the site. There also transcripts of speeches and interviews, press articles, photos, videos, and more. The document database contains tens of thousands of items and permits complex searching.

Files are multi-page PDFs from which most of the documents on the site are selected. All of Mrs Thatcher’s official files from No.10 are available in full on this site (paper copies are stored at the National Archives in the series PREM19), as well as most of those of Geoffrey Howe and Nigel Lawson as Chancellor (stored at TNA as series T639 and T640).

Guides are articles about key events and topics. Many were written to accompany annual releases of Mrs Thatcher’s private and party papers at the Churchill Archive Centre in Cambridge.

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