May 1957: AIR 20/9321 and AIR 20/9322

(AIR 20/9321) Parliamentary Question 15th May 1957 from Major Patrick Wall MP

To ask the Secretary of State for Air, how many unidentified flying objects have been detected over Great Britain this year as compared with previous years; and whether the object picked up on radar over the Dover Straits on 29 April has yet been identified.

(AIR 20/9322) Parliamentary Question 15 May 1957 from Mr. Frank Beswick MP

To ask the Secretary of State for Air, what was the nature of the aircraft or other aircraft sighted on the radar defence screens on Monday night and which occasioned the despatch of Fighter Command.

December 1957: AIR 20/9994 - Headquarters Southern Section Intelligence.

1961-1969: AIR 2 Air Ministry Registered Files

AIR 2/16918 - 1961-1963, alleged sightings of UFO's. Letters from members of the public on alleged sightings. Magazine entitled Cosmic Voice "Mars and Venus Speak to Earth", dated November-December 1961/Article entitled Men from Outer Space: Are they visiting Britain?

AIR 2/17318 (1963): UFO reports

AIR 2/17526 (1964): UFO reports

AIR 2/17527 (1964-1965): UFO reports

AIR 2/17982 (1965-1966): UFO reports

AIR 2/17983 (1966) UFO reports (with photographs)

AIR 2/17984 (1966-67) UFO reports (with photographs)

AIR 2/18183 1968-1969 Unidentified Flying Objects*

* = Thirty year closure rule applies.

1967-1970: AIR 20 Unregistered Papers

AIR 20/11612 (1967-1968): Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs)*

AIR 20/11887 (August 1967): with maps

AIR 20/11888 (September 1967)

AIR 20/11889 (October 1967): with photographs

AIR 20/11890 (October 1967): with maps

AIR 20/11891 (November 1967): with maps

AIR 20/11892 (November 1967)

AIR 20/11893 (December 1967)

AIR 20/11895 (April 1968): UFOs

AIR 20/11896 (May 1968): UFOs

AIR 20/11897 (June 1968): UFOs

AIR 20/11898 (July 1968): UFOs

AIR 20/11899 (August 1968): UFOs

AIR 20/11900 (September 1968): UFOs

AIR 20/11901 (October 1968): UFOs

AIR 20/11902 (November 1968): UFOs

AIR 20/12055 (January 1969): UFOs*

AIR 20/12056 (February 1969): UFOs*

AIR 20/12057 (March 1969): UFOs*

AIR 20/12058 (April 1969): UFOs*

AIR 20/12059 (May 1969): UFOs*

AIR 20/12060 (June 1969): UFOs*

AIR 20/12061 (July 1969): UFOs*

AIR 20/12062 (August 1969): UFOs*

AIR 20/12063 (September 1969): UFOs*

AIR 20/12064 (October 1969): UFOs*

AIR 20/12065 (November 1969): UFOs*

AIR 20/12066 (December 1969): UFOs*

AIR 20/12067 (January 1970): UFOs*

AIR 20/12297 (February 1970): UFOs*

AIR 20/12298 (March 1970): UFOs*

AIR 20/12299 (April 1970): UFOs*

AIR 20/12300 (May 1970): UFOs*

AIR 20/12301 (June 1970): UFOs*

AIR 20/12302 (July 1970): UFOs*

AIR 20/12303 (August 1970): UFOs*

AIR 20/12304 (September 1970): UFOs*

AIR 20/12305 (October 1970): UFOs*

AIR 20/12306 (November 1970): UFOs*

* = Thirty year closure rule applies.

European Parliament Report 2nd December 1993

EP report on proposal to set up a European Centre for sightings of unidentified flying objects.

Written Questions (WPQ) for 14th December 1993

Unidentified Flying Objects

Teddy Taylor: To comment on the treaty powers which enabled the European Parliament's Trade, Research and Technology Committee to study and spend public resources on unidentified flying objects and the possibility of aliens being present in the asteroid belt.

Alastair Goodlad: ....

[ref: Foreign and Commonwealth Office - 234 c575-6W;234 c571W]

Teddy Taylor: If the EC Commission has the powers on its own initiative to give funding to the Euro Unidentified Flying Objects Observation Centre recommended by the European parliament's Trade, Research and Technology Committee.

Alastair Goodlad: ....

[ref: Foreign and Commonwealth Office - 234 c576W;234 c571-2W]

Teddy Taylor: If the proposal by the EC Technology Committee that an organisation on the consideration of unidentified flying objects should be assigned Community status and fundings will be subject to a decision of the Council of Ministers.

Alastair Goodlad: ....

[ref: Dept of Trade and Industry - 234 c686W;234 c682W]

Written Questions (WPQ) for 15th December 1993

Unidentified Flying Objects

Teddy Taylor: If he will seek to obtain a report of the European Parliament Trade and Research Technology Committee's conclusion that the theory that aliens are present in the asteroid belt cannot be ruled out; and what are the implications of this conclusion for public policy.

Patrick McLoughlin: ....

House of Lords Hansard Written Answers for 7th December 1994

Unidentified Flying Objects

Right Hon. Lord Mason of Barnsley: To what extent official records are kept of sightings of unidentified flying objects, especially those sightings that may have a bearing on the air defence of this country; whether units of the Ministry of Defence, especially RAF units, have standing instructions to report sightings of unusual flying objects; whether reports are logged; and whether these can now be made public.

Lord Henley: ....

House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 7th May 1996

Unidentified Flying Objects

Martin Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current security classification on the documents his Department holds on the unidentified objects seen by members of the United States Armed Forces in Rendlesham forest, Suffolk in 1980; and if he will make a statement.[27644]

Nicholas Soames: The papers held by my Department relating to the alleged events at Rendlesham forest, Suffolk in 1980 are unclassified.

House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 10th June 1996

Unidentified Flying Objects

Martin Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 7 May, Official Report, columns 19-20, if he will list the titles of the papers held by his Department in respect of unidentified objects seen in Rendlesham forest, Suffolk; and if he will make a statement.[31490]

Nicholas Soames: Apart from a report of the events written at the time by the United States Air Force deputy base commander at RAF Woodbridge, which has been in the public domain for a number of years, the documents held by my Department are internal staffing papers and correspondence from members of the public relating to the alleged events.

House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 8th July 1996

Unidentified Flying Objects

Martin Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which office within his Department deals with sightings of unidentified flying objects. [35845]

Nicholas Soames: The focal point within my Department for reports of sightings of unidentified flying objects is Secretariat (Air Staff) 2a.

Martin Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list (a) date and (b) location for the last 10 years unexplainable sightings of unidentified flying objects received by his Department; and what action was subsequently taken. [35844]

Nicholas Soames: My Department evaluates reports of "unexplained" aerial phenomena solely in order to establish whether they may have any defence significance. Unless there is evidence to indicate that the UK air defence region may have been compromised, and to date no sighting has provided such evidence, my Department does not investigate or seek to provide an explanation for what was observed. The question of unexplainable sightings has therefore not arisen.

House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 24th July 1996

Rendlesham Forest

Martin Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what response his Department made to the report submitted by Lieutenant Colonel Charles Halt relating to events in Rendlesham Forest in December 1980; what interviews were held; and various questions on same.

Nicholas Soames: ....

Uncorrelated Radar Tracks

Martin Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions RAF aircraft have been (a) scrambled and (b) diverted from task to investigate uncorrelated targets picked up on radar; and if he will make a statement. [39218]

Nicholas Soames: In the past five years RAF aircraft have been scrambled or diverted from task on two occasions to intercept and identify uncorrelated radar tracks entering the United Kingdom air defence region.

Unidentified Craft

Martin Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence
(1) what is his Department's assessment of the incident that occurred on 5 November 1990 when a patrol of RAF Tornado aircraft flying over the North sea were overtaken at high speed by an unidentified craft; and if he will make a statement; [39245]
(2) if he will make a statement on the unidentified flying object sighting reported to his Department by the meteorological officer at RAF Shawbury in the early hours of 3l March 1993. [39246]

Nicholas Soames: Reports of sightings on these dates are recorded on file and were examined by staff responsible for air defence matters. No firm conclusions were drawn about the nature of the phenomena reported but the events were not judged to be of defence significance.

Martin Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department made of the photograph of an unidentified craft at Calvine on 4 August 1990; who removed it from an office in secretariat (air staff) 2a; for what reasons; and it he will make a statement. [39248]

Nicholas Soames: A number of negatives associated with the sighting were examined by staff responsible for air defence matters. Since it was judged that they contained nothing of defence significance the negatives were not retained and we have no record of any photographs having been taken from them.

House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 16th October 1996

Unidentified Flying Objects

Martin Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
(1) what consultation has taken place in each of the last five years by his Department with the French Service de Documentation Exterieur et de Contre-Espionnage in respect of unidentified flying objects; and if he will make a statement; [40970]
(2) if he will list by month for each of the last 10 years, and this year to date, the number of occasions that MI6 has monitored unidentified flying objects investigations; and if he will make a statement; [40981]
(3) if he will list by month for each of the last 10 years and this year to date the number of occasions on which the Government Communications headquarters has monitored unidentified flying object investigations; and if he will make a statement. [40922]

David Davis: I shall write to the hon. Member shortly. Copies of the letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 17th October 1996

Unidentified Flying Objects

Martin Redmond: To ask the Prime Minister if he will allocate to a department the assessments of the non-air defence implications associated with unidentified flying objects; and if he will make a statement. [40822]

John Major: The air defence and air traffic implications of unidentified flying objects are the responsibility of the Ministry of Defence and the Civil Aviation Authority respectively. The Government have no plans to allocate resources to researching extraterrestrial phenomena.

Unidentified Flying Objects

Martin Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence
(1) what consultation has taken place in each of the last five years by his Department with the French Ministry of Defence Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales in respect of unidentified flying objects; and if he will make a statement; [41048]
(2) if a lodger unit housed within his Department's Flying Complaints Flight specialises in unidentified flying object investigations; and if he will make a statement; [41036]
(3) how many records currently held by his Department's Scientific Intelligence Branch are under extended closure for (a) 50 years, (b) 75 years and (c) 100 years; how many of these records refer to unidentified flying objects; and if he will make a statement; [40911]
(4) what consultation has taken place in each of the last five years by his Department with the Royal Australian air force in respect of unidentified flying objects; and if he will make a statement; [41042]
(5) what consultation has taken place in each of the last five years by his Department with the Spanish Ministry of Defence's intelligence section of the Spanish air forces air operations command in respect of unidentified flying objects; and if he will make a statement; [41050]
(6) if he will make statement on his Department's policy towards unidentified flying objects and on how this has developed during the past 30 years; [40913]
(7) what co-operation there is between the Royal Air Force and the United States air force in respect of establishing the facts relating to unidentified flying objects; and if he will make a statement; [40918]
(8) how many alleged landings by unidentified flying objects have been recorded in each year since 1980 and this year to date; how many have been investigated by his Department's personnel; which of these had been traced by radar and with what result; and if he will make a statement; [40921]
(9) what consultation has taken place in each of the last five years by his Department with the Italian Ministry of Defence air force general staff (2. Department) in respect of unidentified flying objects; and if he will make a statement; [41049]
(10) what instructions have been sent to the commanders of Royal Air Force stations to collect reports from air crews having allegedly sighted unidentified flying objects; what inquiries have been held following such sightings; to what extent there has been collaboration between his Department and departments in (a) Canada and (b) the United States of America on this problem; and if he will make a statement; [40917]
(11) what consultation has taken place in each of the last five years by his Department with New Zealand's Ministry of Defence in respect of unidentified flying objects; and if he will make a statement; [41043]
(12) what consultation has taken place in each of the last five years by his Department with the Portuguese Ministry of Defence's joint staff of the armed forces intelligence division in respect of unidentified flying objects; and if he will make a statement; [41051]
(13) how many instances of unidentified flying objects have been reported on by the defence services of the United Kingdom during the last 12 months; what steps are taken to co-ordinate such observations; and if he will make a statement; [40910]
(14) if he will list by year for the last 30 years how many structured craft of unknown origin have penetrated the United Kingdom's air defence region; and if he will make a statement. [40919]

Nicholas Soames: I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 5th November 1996

Unidentified Flying Craft

Martin Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the reports of encounters by Royal Air Force pilots with unidentified flying craft since 1966 which have not been released to the public; on what grounds they have been retained; and if he will make a statement. [2201]

Nicholas Soames: The information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Martin Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the Royal Air Force's practice as regards investigating sightings of unidentified flying craft which correlate with radar information; if there is a requirement to investigate such phenomena by scrambling aircraft; and if he will make a statement. [2200]

Nicholas Soames: Unidentified contacts penetrating UK airspace or the UK air defence region are identified by all available means, including interception.

House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 11th November 1996

Unidentified Flying Objects

Martin Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the circumstances of the two occasions referred to in his answer of 24 July, Official Report, column 424, when RAF aircraft were scrambled or diverted from task to investigate uncorrelated radar targets; if the objects were identified; if it was judged that breaches of United Kingdom airspace had occurred; and if he will list all similar incidents which have occurred since 1979. [2932]

Nicholas Soames: The targets were identified as Russian maritime patrol aircraft and were in the northern portion of the UK air defence region. They did not penetrate UK airspace. Information covering the period from 1979 is not held in a readily available form and could be provided only at disproportionate cost and effort.

Martin Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when United Kingdom military personnel were briefed about the scrambling of Belgian F-16 aircraft on 30 and 31 March 1990; when the unidentified flying object concerned was detected on United Kingdom radar systems; and if RAF aircraft were scrambled. [3185]

Nicholas Soames: The Belgian authorities did not notify adjacent countries because no threat was perceived. There is no evidence of radar contacts within the UK air defence system.

Military bases; Unidentified Flying Objects

Martin Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the radiation readings, reported to his Department by Lieutenant Colonel Charles Halt on 13 January 1981, were judged to have posed any threat to Lieutenant Colonel Halt and his team; who assessed the readings; how the radiation compared with background radiation in the area; and if he will make a statement. [2934]

Nicholas Soames: There is no record of any official assessment of the radiation readings reported by Lieutenant Colonel Halt.

House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 12th November 1996

Unidentified Flying Objects

Martin Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence

(1) what factors underlay his Department's decision that the reported sightings of unidentified flying objects on 5 November 1990 and 31 March 1993 were not of defence significance; [2898]

(2) for what reasons his Department assessed the sightings of an unidentified flying object over RAF Shawbury, referred to in his answer of 24 July, Official Report, column 424, as having no defence significance. [2928]

Nicholas Soames: I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave him on 8 July 1996, Official Report, column 26.

Parliamentary Questions

Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reasons his Department does not collate information on the number of written and oral parliamentary answers issued by his Department that require correction. [3222]

Nicholas Soames: Where a correction to a parliamentary answer is necessary it is usually our practice for this to be done by means of a pursuant answer in the Official Report. My Department has not thought it necessary to record such corrections centrally.

House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 18th December 1996

Unidentified Flying Objects

Ieuan Wyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to allocate resources to researching extraterrestrial phenomena.

Nicholas Soames: I have nothing to add to reply given by my Right Hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 17 October 1996, Official Report, column 1082.

Disclosure of information; Unidentified Flying Objects

Ieuan Wyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of state for Defence if his Department will adopt a policy on the reporting of unidentified craft of releasing to the press details of (i) shape, flight-pattern, colour and size of craft, (ii) where and when the craft was seen, (iii) what action his Department took and (iv) the radar profile of the craft.

Nicholas Soames: No.

Unidentified Flying Objects

Ieuan Wyn Jones: To ask the secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made of the incident on 16 October 1990 involving two unidentified craft in the vicinity of Wylfa nuclear power station on Anglesey; what estimate the intercepting helicopter pilots made of the departing speeds of the two unidentified craft; if they showed up on radar; and if he will make a statement. [9561]

Nicholas Soames: None, so far as we can establish from existing records.

Ieuan Wyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made of the two attempted interceptions of unidentified craft that occurred near Anglesey in September and November 1995; what other attempts have been made to intercept unidentified craft in this vicinity; and if he will make a statement [9562]

Nicholas Soames: From records available, and from the limited information given in the question, we are unable to identify any incidents of this kind.

Unidentified Flying Objects

Ieuan Wyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what training is provided to pilots of civilian aircraft on what to do in the event of encountering unidentified craft which do not show up on radar. [9563]

John Bowis: Matters relating to the training of civil aircrew are the responsibility of the Civil Aviation Authority. I have asked the chairman of that authority to write to the hon. Member.

House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 13th January 1997

Scheduled Exercises (Purple Series)

Martin Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the dates and locations of scheduled exercises in the Purple series in the next 12 months. [9873]

Nicholas Soames: The next exercise in the Purple series is programmed for October 1997 and has been designated Purple LINK. It will be a computer-assisted exercise based in the United Kingdom and will be undertaken with the Americans. This is the only Purple exercise planned for 1997.

The Labour MP Martin Redmond died on Jan 20th 1997.

Private Petition (17th March 1997)

Petitions; Unidentified flying objects

Public petition from residents in Anglesey and elsewhere for the establishment of a commission on unidentified flying objects. (To be circulated with the Vote).

Ministry of Defence (15th May 1997)

Government responses; Petitions; Unidentified flying objects

Observations by the Ministry of Defence on petition of 17 March from residents of Anglesey regarding UFOs. (Circulated with the Vote 21 May 1997).

[ref: UP 45 1997/98]

House of Lords Questions for 14th October 1997

Aircraft; Explosions; Military aircraft; Unidentified flying objects

Lord Hill-Norton: What was the military involvement in the search for the unidentified object that witnesses believe exploded in mid air, before crashing into the sea off the Isle of Lewis on 26 October 1996, and what liaison took place with the US authorities with regard to this incident.

Rt.Hon.Lord Gilbert: ....

[ref: 582 c168WA]

Lord Hill-Norton: Whether the Ministry of Defence replied to the 1981 memorandum from Lieutenant Colonel Charles Halt, which reported the presence of an unidentified craft that had landed in close proximity to RAF Bentwaters and RAF Woodbridge, witnessed by United States Air Force personnel; and if not, why not; and how the radiation readings reported by Lieutenant Colonel Charles Halt in his memorandum dated 13 January 1981 compare to the normal levels of background radiation in Rendelsham Forest.

Rt.Hon.Lord Gilbert: ....

[ref: 582 c169WA]

House of Lords Questions for 28th October 1997

Unidentified flying objects; Telephone answering machines

Lord Hill-Norton: Whether they are aware of reports from the United States Air Force personnel that nuclear weapons stored in the Weapons Storage Area at RAF Woodbridge were struck by light beams fired from an unidentified craft seen over the base in the period 25-30 December 1980, and if so, what action was subsequently taken.

Rt.Hon.Lord Gilbert: There is no evidence to suggest that the MOD received any such reports.

Aircraft; Armed forces; Casualties; Military bases; Unidentified flying objects;

Lord Hill-Norton:What information they have on the medical problems experienced by various United States Air Force personnel based at RAF Bentwaters and RAF Woodbridge, which stemmed from their involvement in the so-called Rendlesham Forest incident, in December 1980. Rt.Hon.Lord Gilbert: - Information on medical matters relating to US personnel is a matter for the US authorities.

[ref: 582 c232WA]

House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 10th November 1997

UFOs

Mr. Nigel Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his Department's investigations into alleged sightings of unidentified flying objects intruding into British air space.

Mr. Spellar: My Department examines any reports of "unexplained" aerial sightings that are sent to us solely to establish whether what was seen might have some defence significance, namely, whether there was any evidence that the UK Air Defence Region might have been breached by hostile or unauthorised foreign military activity. Unless there is evidence of a potential military threat, and to date no "unidentified flying object" sighting has revealed such evidence, we do not attempt to identify the precise nature of each reported incident.

RAF Menwith Hill

Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of the information collected at RAF Menwith Hill is available to the British Security Services.

Dr. Reid: I am withholding information on the operations of the intelligence and security agencies under exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information on the grounds of national security.

House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 30th March 1998

Low Flying Training

Helen Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what complaints were received by the RAF concerning low-flying aircraft relating to 24 March 1997; [36407]

(2) if RAF/NATO military aircraft were engaged on an exercise over Northern England between 9.30 and 10.30 pm on 24 March 1997;

(3) for what reasons the RAF imposed an air exclusion zone around Howden reservoir on the morning of 25 March 1997;

(4) what reported sightings of UFOs were received from the (a) public and (b) police from the South Yorkshire/Derbyshire area on 24 and 25 March 1997.

Mr. Spellar: A number of military aircraft were booked to carry out low flying training in northern England on the evening of 24 March 1997. The Ministry of Defence received 13 complaints about aircraft activity for that date from locations across the UK. No reported sightings of "UFOs" on 24 or 25 March 1997 were received by my Department.

Sonic Booms (Sheffield)

Helen Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if an RAF/NATO aircraft was responsible for the two sonic booms above Sheffield detected by Edinburgh University Seismology Unit at 21.52 and 22.06 on 24 March 1997.

Mr. Spellar: We have no record of sonic events being generated by RAF or NATO aircraft for the evening of 24 March 1997.

House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 29th June 1998

UFOs

Mr. Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the role of RAF Brawdy, Pembrokeshire in the investigation of sightings of unidentified flying objects.

Mr. Spellar: Brawdy ceased to be an RAF station on 31 March 1996 when the establishment was transferred to the Army.

Generally, my Department examines reports of unidentified flying objects only to establish whether there is any evidence that the United Kingdom's Air Defence Region has been penetrated by hostile or unauthorised foreign military activity. Unless a report reveals evidence of a potential threat from an external military source, no attempt is made to determine the precise nature of what might have been seen.

House of Lords Hansard Written Answers for 14th October 1998

Unidentified Flying Objects

Lord Hill-Norton: Whether they will list the document references and titles of all open files at the Public Record Office that contain information about unidentified flying objects.

The Lord Chancellor (Lord Irvine of Lairg): I list below the document references and titles of all open files at the Public Record Office known to staff to contain information about unidentified flying objects. There may be information in other open files but this could be discovered only at disproportionate cost.

[the list of files given here are shown above from the years 1943-1970]

Lord Hill-Norton: Whether they will list the document references and titles of all closed files at the Public Record Office that contain information about unidentified flying objects.

The Lord Chancellor: I list below the document references and titles of all closed files in the Public Record Office known to its staff to contain information about unidentified flying objects. There may be information in other closed files but this could be discovered only at disproportionate cost.

[the list of files given here are shown above from the years 1943-1970]

House of Lords Hansard Written Answers for 21st October 1998

Unidentified flying objects; Telephone answering machines

Lord Hill-Norton: Whether they will ensure that the answering machine which the Ministry of Defence uses both to explain its policy on unidentified flying objects and to provide a facility for the public to report sightings is turned on at all times...

Rt.Hon.Lord Gilbert: ....

[ref: 593 c158WA]

House of Lords Hansard Written Answers for 3rd May 2001

Unidentified flying objects

Lord Hill-Norton asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean on 25 January (WA 22), why the unidentified flying objects documents referred to were classified secret; whether these documents had any caveats attached to them; and what was the reason for any such caveats. [HL1808]

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: One document was classified "Secret" with a "UK Eyes Only" caveat because it contained information about the UK air defence ground environment that could be of significant value to hostile or potentially hostile states. Associated correspondence was given the same classification. Generally, however notifications of and correspondence on the subject of "UFO" sightings are unclassified.

Lord Hill-Norton asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether, in line with previous ministerial commitments, they will give an undertaking not to destroy any files containing information on unidentified flying objects. [HL1811]

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The Public Records Acts of 1958 and 1967 place a responsibility on all government departments to review the records which are generated within the department, to select those which are worthy of permanent preservation and transfer them to the Public Record Office.

It was generally the case that before 1967 all "UFO" files were destroyed after five years, as there was unsufficient public interest in the subject to merit their permanent retention. However, since 1967, given the general levels of public and occasional academic interest, it has been Ministry of Defence policy to preserve "UFO" report files. There are no plans to change this policy.

Lord Hill-Norton asked Her Majesty's Government:

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The numbers of "unidentified flying object" sightings reported to the Ministry of Defence in 1998, 1999 and 2000 were as follows:

1998: 193

1999: 229

2000: 210

House of Lords Hansard Written Answers for 3rd May 2001

UFOs and MoD House Journal

Lord Hill-Norton asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whose decision it was to drop various features concerning unidentified flying objects from the December edition of the Ministry of Defence's house journal Focus; why this decision was taken; and whether any defence Ministers were briefed on this.[HL1812]

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: The editorial team of the in-house journal Focus decides the content of each edition, selecting from a range of competing potential topics and looking to achieve a balance of departmental news and more general interest pieces. In common with the overwhelming majority of such decisions, Ministers were not briefed about the selection of articles for the December 2000 edition.