1 - The Black Vault

!.COSE MINUTE
PS/CS(RAF)
1. I attach a copy or a lette~ f~om Royal Holloway College, University or
London, in which they seek access to our UFO records.
2. We are not in:t':requently asked by outside bodies or indi·;iduals for permission
to examine our UFO repo!'ts. Up to now these ba ve all been r,:fused on the grounds
that ell correspondence between MOD and mer:~bers of the public is regarded as ·
contidentia:J. and. could not be made available to ?Ublic acru·r.iny unless the l'epo:M:s
were edited to preserve the anonymity of the ~·eporter or th~ observer's per-wission
were obtained. I~ would also be necessary to examine all tne records to ensure
that no classified ir£ormation used in the course of inveatig~ting reports was
inadvertently releaesd. The tim and et'fo.rt in this task would be formidable and
up to !lOW we have taken the general line that reporta shoulnded to the Royal HolUway College, who are
r1ell awar of the Ministerial undal•taking. I do not think c.ur files would help
them - the MOD investigations go no f'urther then the dei,ence '..mplications - but the
raw material could I suppose !w.ve objectiye value.
l;.. I should be gratet'..tl for your views on the standing o:f the Royal Holloway
College team as a ttMajor Scientific Organisation" and whether the relevance of the
UFO reports to their enquiries can be construed as a "~.£reason".
5. I am aura we ::an rely on your objective ·advice. My heE.rt quails at the thought
of' the massiv editing that might have to be d_one and, with :"11r overtaxed resourcea,
I would not wish to embark on it unless in your view it has " demonstrable scientific
value.
h Jun 75 ·
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J A Fr.DUZIE
S4(Air)
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