Ministry of Defence Correspondence File: Unidentified Flying Objects, Parliamentary Questions and Enquiries

This document is a compilation of Ministry of Defence (MOD) correspondence, parliamentary questions, and internal minutes spanning from 1979 to 1995, concerning Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs). The file documents the MOD's consistent policy regarding UFO reports: the department maintains a limited interest in the subject, focusing exclusively on whether reported sightings pose a threat to the security and defence of the United Kingdom. The MOD explicitly states that it does not conduct formal scientific research into UFOs, nor does it employ staff full-time for this purpose. Reports received from the public are referred to staff responsible for air defence as part of their normal duties. The correspondence frequently addresses public and parliamentary concerns, including specific incidents such as the RAF Woodbridge (Rendlesham Forest) incident of December 1980 and sightings over Belgium in 1989/1990. In response to inquiries, the MOD consistently maintains that the Rendlesham Forest incident was examined at the time and found to have no defence significance. Regarding the Belgian sightings, the MOD asserts that these occurred outside the UK Air Defence Region and that the Belgian authorities did not consider them a threat. The file also contains discussions regarding the destruction of older UFO files (pre-1967) and the subsequent preservation of files under the Public Records Act. The documents reflect a recurring tension between the MOD's stance—that UFO reports are largely attributable to natural phenomena, satellite debris, or aircraft lights—and the persistence of various UFO researchers and members of Parliament who argue for a more thorough investigation and transparency, often citing the US Freedom of Information Act as a model. The file includes various drafts of ministerial replies, internal minutes discussing how to handle persistent correspondents, and copies of parliamentary questions and answers.