Ministry of Defence File: Information Management - The Freedom of Information Act 2000 - Requests for Information

This document is a Ministry of Defence (MOD) file jacket (D/DAS/10/2/8/13) containing correspondence and administrative records related to Freedom of Information (FOI) requests concerning Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) or UFOs. The file covers the period from May 2005 through 2007, though it contains historical references dating back to the 1950s. The primary function of the file is to document the MOD's responses to numerous public inquiries regarding UFO sightings, government policy on extraterrestrial life, and specific historical incidents such as the Rendlesham Forest event. The correspondence consistently reiterates the official MOD position: the department does not investigate UFOs for the purpose of identifying extraterrestrial life, but rather to ensure that UK airspace is not compromised by hostile or unauthorized military activity. The file includes various FOI request forms, internal routing slips, and formal responses sent to members of the public. These responses frequently direct inquirers to The National Archives for historical records, noting that MOD files were routinely destroyed after five years until 1967. The document also contains a detailed list of 'unexplained' aerial sightings reported to the MOD from 1959 to 2005, providing a statistical overview of reports received annually. Several pages are dedicated to specific inquiries about the Rendlesham Forest incident, with the MOD maintaining that all surviving documents on the matter have been released. The file also includes internal memoranda discussing the implementation of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, emphasizing the need for transparency while maintaining national security and operational confidentiality. The file serves as a record of the MOD's administrative handling of public interest in UAP during the early 2000s, reflecting a shift toward proactive disclosure through the MOD's FOI Publication Scheme.