Scope and Contents Material concerning proposals to change asylum policy put forward by Blunkett in September and October 2001. Includes three letters to Tony Blair concerning asylum issues (marked restricted/confidential); a report on immigration and asylum to the Prime Minister written by Blunkett entitled 'The Way Forward'; letter from Andrew Smith, Chief Secretary to the Treasury raising issues with Blunkett's proposals; letter to the Lord Chancellor, Lord Irvine, on the topic of asylum; letter to John...

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Correspondence relating to the introduction of a Working Age Agency as part of the welfare reform agenda. Includes letter from David Blunkett to Tony Blair outlining his position on the matter.

Scope and Contents Confidential letter from Blunkett to Blair concerning three points. Firstly, the need to fill three Permanent Secretary vacancies in the Civil Service and the need for the 'radical modernisation of the management and delivery of services'; secondly concerning the machinery of government and Blunkett's opinion that it would be an error to reconfigure departments rather than change the way they operate. Finally, Blunkett writes about the recent budget and the risk that while it will overcome...

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Letter to Tony Blair from David Blunkett expressing his frustration over a briefing given to the Times regarding proposed council tax rises. Includes press cutting of the Times article.

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Letter sent to Tony Blair concerning the potential to improve the position of local authorities by freeing up resources to distribute to them, and the mechanisms through which this could be achieved. Includes spreadsheet outlining the monetary effects of different models.

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Letter from Blunkett to the Prime Minister concerning government 'monitoring' of the Daily Mail which Blunkett believes will irritate the paper and alienate its readers; and the importance of balance in the debate surrounding the abolition of clause 28.

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Letter to the Prime Minister concerning a meeting between them the previous evening to discuss government spending on schools, and Blunkett's hope that there may still be some leeway for more resources for education spending.

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Personal letter to the Prime Minister relating to higher education spending in light of 'recent events' and commenting on government handling of the media.

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Personal letter to the Prime Minister reporting back from a meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party to discuss the poor results for the party in the local elections and in the London Mayoral election. Also includes a set of recommendation from Blunkett.

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Letter to the Prime Minister setting out Blunkett's concerns about the publication by the Welsh Assembly of a 'Partnership Agreement' setting out promises on education without consultation with the DFEE.

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Letter to the Prime Minister mainly concerning expenditure on education over the following two years, and Blunkett's concerns that it will not meet the government's spending pledges for education.

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Letter from Blair expressing his gratitude to Blunkett and his team for their work on the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act, 20 December 2001; and personal letter thanking Blunkett for his [Christmas] present and for his support and friendship, 26 December 2001.

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Handwritten note thanking Blunkett for his gift of a copy of Machiavelli's 'The Prince' before Blair's trip to Italy.

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Handwritten note from Blair congratulating Blunkett on his recent presentation on 'Learning to Succeed' - a white paper on post-16 education.

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Handwritten note from the Prime Minister thanking Blunkett for being a 'tower of strength' during a difficult period for the government.

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Personal letter/notes from Blunkett to the Prime Minister of a number of points: Strategy for the 2001 General Election; Campaigning; Challenges - housing benefit, higher education funding, drugs policy; and the Machinery of Government/reform of the House of Commons.

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A series of short policy papers (plus drafts) sent to the Prime Minister by Blunkett labelled 'Personal, Private and Confidential' covering policy and strategic challenges, the manifesto and policies for the second Parliament. Papers entitled: Spending Review and Policy Implications: Welfare Reform; Economic, Social and Political Regeneration; and Westminster and Whitehall. Also includes a response from Tony Blair. Papers are within their original envelope marked with a braille label.