IDENTITY STATEMENT
Reference code(s): GB 0097 CENTRE FOR POLICY STUDIES
Held at: British Library of Political and Economic Science
Title: Centre for Policy Studies
Date(s): 1974-1991
Level of description: Collection (fonds)
Extent: 8 boxes
Name of creator(s): Centre for Policy Studies
CONTEXT
Administrative/Biographical history:
The Centre for Policy Studies was established by Margaret Thatcher and Keith Joseph in 1974 as an independent centre-right think tank with a remit to develop and publish public policy proposals and arrange seminars and lectures on topical policy issues, with a view to influencing policy world-wide. It became a limited company on 20 June 1974 with Sir Keith Joseph, Margaret Thatcher and Nigel Vinson as directors, employing paid staff and advisors and based at 8 Wilfred Street, London. According to its mission statement, the core principles upon which the Centre bases its policy proposals include the value of free markets, the importance of individual choice and responsibility, and the concepts of duty, family, respect for the law, national independence, individualism, and liberty. The Centre has concerned itself particularly with such issues as the National Health Service, the privatisation of industry, the economy, and defence. Amongst the policies it claims to have helped to initiate are privatisation, trade union reform, council house sales, pensions deregulation, education reform, free trade, health service reform, and the restructuring of the tax system in favour of 'traditional' families. CPS advisors also produce speeches and articles for politicians and maintain close, though informal, links with the government, politicians, policy makers, civil servants and the press, in Britain and abroad.
CONTENT
Scope and content/abstract:
This collection is comprised of various administrative records, publications, reports, and papers of study groups of the Centre for Policy studies, and is divided into 15 sections: 1. Centre for Policy Studies Minutes; 2. Administration Papers; 3. Working Papers; 4. Research Papers; 5. Publications; 6. Speeches; 7. The Westwell Report; 8. Defence Study Group Papers; 9. Deregulation Study Group Papers; 10. Employment and Economy Study Group Papers; 11. First Eleven Group Papers; 12. Health Study Group Papers; 13. Nationalised Industry Study Group Papers; 14. Soviet Study Group Papers; 15. Trade Union Reform Study Papers.
ACCESS AND USE
Language/scripts of material: English
System of arrangement:
The collection is arranged by subject into 15 categories as given in scope and content.
Conditions governing access:
Open
Conditions governing reproduction:
Apply to Archivist
Physical characteristics:
Finding aids:
Printed handlist and online catalogue available.
ARCHIVAL INFORMATION
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ALLIED MATERIALS
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DESCRIPTION NOTES
Note:
Archivist's note: Output from CAIRS using template 14 and checked by hand on February 1, 2002
Date(s) of descriptions: 1 Feb 2002; revised 26 Feb 2002