1 - The Black Vault

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Draft
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Thank you for your letter of 21 June seeking access to MOD files from 1969 onwards
on 'unidentified flying objects' for examination, note taking and copying as necessary
for your post doctoral research in to the socio-psychological aspects of belief in aerial
phenomena.
The Ministry of Defence already operates in accordance with the Code of Practice on
Access to Govermnent Information. It responds positively to any requests for
information and no categories are automatically excluded. Each request is considered
on its merits.
As you say, MOD files are subject to the provision of the Public Records Act of 1958
and 1967 and remain closed for 30 years after the last action on the file has been
taken. We have, however, looked carefully to see whether earlier release of the files
containing papers relating to 'UFO' issues might be possible. The Department
receives about 400 sighting reports each year and a similar number of letters from
members of the public, some of which may also contain sighting reports. The
information is filed manually in the form it is received on Branch files and therefore
contains the personal details of all those contacting and corresponding with the
Department. MOD has a duty to protect this third party confidentiality and the 30-
year period is deemed appropriate for this purpose. Before access could be given to
the material, staff would need to be diverted from their essential defence-related tasks
to retrieve the material from archives, and scrutinise and remove all of the personal
information from many thousands of documents. Your request is therefore refused
under Exemption 9 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information
(voluminous or vexatious requests). We would, of course, be happy to look to see
what information might be made available if you have a more specific date in mind as
it would require a more focussed effort on a limited amount of material.
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I am sorry if any information provided to you by staff in the MOD Press Office has
caused a misunderstanding. At the begiuning of the year the department received a
number of enquiries about the release of, and access to, 'UFO' files for 1969. These
files were opened in the Public Record Office in January and it may be that the MOD
press officer at the time you made contact was confused on this particular point.
Finally, I should say that if you are unhappy with the decision to refuse your request
for access to MOD files and wish to appeal, you should write in the first instance to
the Ministry of Defence, DOMD, Room 619, Northumberland House,
Northumberland Avenue, London WC2N 5BP requesting that the decision be
reviewed. If following the internal review you remain dissatisfied, you can ask your
MP to take up the case with the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration (the
Ombudsman) who can investigate on your behalf. The Ombudsman will not,
however, consider an investigation until the internal review process has been
completed.