Typical Guardian.

Upon the release of Cabinet papers from 1982, The Guardian has performed one of its customary 'tricks' in its desperate attempt to smear Margaret Thatcher - yet again.
'Margaret Thatcher and her chancellor Sir Geoffrey Howe were behind a politically toxic plan in 1982 to dismantle the welfare state, newly released Downing Street documents show.'
There is a massive distinction to be made between talking about ALL OPTIONS rather than planning to implement them. Moreover, apart from being misleading, the words 'politically toxic and dismantle' are both provocative and emotive.
The route which was actually seriously considered as desirable from this period was to introduce voucher systems for both health and education.
Sadly, this was not to come to pass. I say that because both Healthcare and Education would have received the necessary 'kick in the pants' to divert valuable resources away from bureaucracy and into 'the sharp end'.
A system wherein no consumer would have lost out and so many would have gained immeasurably!