Ministry of Defence File: UFOs - Policy

This file, titled 'UFOs - Policy' and maintained by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) under reference D/DAS(Sec)64/1, documents the MOD's internal policy and administrative handling of UFO-related inquiries and the proactive release of information under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2000. The file covers the period from November 2000 to November 2002. A central theme of the documentation is the MOD's effort to comply with the FOI Act while maintaining that UFO sightings are not a core business function. The MOD's stated position is that it examines reported sightings solely to determine if UK airspace has been compromised by hostile or unauthorized activity. The file includes significant internal discussion regarding the 'Rendlesham Forest file', which was selected as a 'Class of Information' to be made public to demonstrate the MOD's commitment to openness. The file also contains correspondence regarding the launch of a book by Georgina Bruni, 'You Can't Tell the People', which features a foreword by MOD employee Nick Pope. The MOD expressed concern about the potential for this book launch, held in the Henry VIII Wine Cellar, to be perceived as official endorsement of the book's contents, which were critical of MOD policy. The file documents the internal vetting process for this event, ensuring that the MOD's position was clearly stated and that the event was treated as a private charitable function for the British Limbless Ex-Servicemen's Association (BLESMA). Additionally, the file contains technical documentation regarding the loss of RAF Lightning aircraft XS894 in 1970, which was sometimes conflated with UFO reports by researchers. The file provides insight into the administrative burden of managing UFO inquiries and the evolving approach to transparency within the UK government during the implementation of the FOI Act.