Kenneth Clarke, QC, MP, was Secretary of State for Education and Science from Nov. 1990 until April 1992. During that time, the History National Curriculum was in its final stages of preparation, amidst intense controversy both in the press and within Mrs Thatcher's government. Kenneth Clarke reviews the circumstances of his appointment. He discusses his views about the work of the National Curriculum Council History Task Group which was then trying to slim down the content. He also considers with the benefit of hindsight whether his decisions to make history optional beyond the age of 14 and to rule out the study of events in the last 20 years from the history NC were the right ones.