UFOs in Parliament

7 November 1967
House of Commons Volume 753 written answers column 85-6
[Cross Refer: Public Record Office File Reference DEFE 31/110]

“Unidentified Flying Objects
Dr Bennett asked the Secretary of State for Defence what organisation Her Majesty’s Government has for the analysis and valuation of reports of flying objects not identified as aircraft.

Mr Merlyn Rees : The Ministry of Defence examines these reports in the light of their possible air defence implications ; and it obtains advice, as necessary, from Governmental and other scientific and technical organisations. The adequacy of our arrangements can be judged from the fact that between 1st January, 1959 and 30th September, 1967, 625 reports were examined and 555 were found to have mundane explanations. The remaining 70 reports contained insufficient data for evaluation but there was nothing to suggest that they related to incidents materially different in kind from those which were explained.”

8 November 1967
House of Commons Volume 753 oral answers column 1012-1014
[Cross Refer: Public Record Office File Reference DEFE 31/110]
[Cross Refer: “Beyond Top Secret” by Timothy Good,pages 42-43 of hardback edition]
[Cross Refer : “Above Top Secret” by Timothy Good, page 64 of hardback edition]
[Cross refer : “A Covert Agenda” by Nick Redfern, page 98 of hardback edition]
[Cross refer: “UFO” by Robert Chapman, page 22 of Mayflower paperback edition]

“Unidentified Flying Objects (North Devon)
15 and 16. Mr Peter Mills asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will make a statement on the circumstances in which an unidentified flying object has been seen in the Okehampton area of Devon ; and what are his plans to deal with a recurrence of this flying object ;
(2) whether the flying object in the Okehampton area of Devon, which has been described as a star-shaped cross larger than a conventional aircraft, is a British aircraft or an unidentified flying object.

The Under-Secretary of State for the Royal Air Force (Mr Merlyn Rees): We received a number of reports of objects seen in the sky over North Devon in October. After investigation, some proved to be aircraft and some were lights. Of the lights, the majority were the planet Venus ; but the source of a few lights has not been positively identified. I can say, however, that none of these unidentified lights was an alien object.

There are standing instructions for R.A.F. stations to report unusual objects seen in the sky, and standing arrangements for investigating these reports and similar reports from other sources. I do not consider additional action necessary.

Mr Mills : Will the hon. Gentleman bear in mind that this matter is not only of considerable interest to the South-West, particularly the Okehampton area, but also of some concern? How does this statement square with the statement of two police officers and of engineers at Hessay Tor that low-flying objects were moving for over an hour in the area?

Mr Rees: In answer to a Question yesterday and another today, I have published details of all the investigations which have been made over recent years, and none of these would give any reason to believe that there are unidentified objects in the sense which has been implied. Further, we have complete radar coverage to a very great height over all these islands and have access to that over Europe, and none of this leads us to believe in any sense that this is anything else than something which we know nothing about.

Mr Alan Lee Williams: Can my hon. Friend assure us that he has received scientific advice?

Mr Rees: I can give that assurance. This is not just an air defence matter. We have access to scientists of high repute – they have been consulted on all these matters – and also to psychologists.

Sir J Langford-Holt: The hon Gentleman said that we have complete radar coverage. In these circumstances, can he explain how a letter was sent by his Department when a report was sent about one of these objects to the effect that it “might or might not” have been an aircraft but his Department was unable to say?

Mr Rees: The problem is that, if one is notified of this right away, it is possible to give a more definite reply, but when one gets a letter weeks later asking what it might have been on such and such an occasion, it is difficult to be definitive on it. But nothing leads us to believe that this is men from Mars or anything of that kind.

Mr Shinwell: Would it not be desirable for the Government to encourage this idea that there are unidentified flying objects and that there is a danger of invasion from another planet? Would this not create the necessary diversion so that people in this country, and the electors in particular, would not worry about their economic problems?

Mr Rees: Judging from the public’s response to some newspaper reports, I can only hope that they will take my right hon. Friend’s remark seriously.”

9 November 1967
House of Commons Volume 753 written answers column 160

“Unidentified Flying Objects
Mr Wall asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on unidentified flying objects sighted over Great Britain during the past two years.

Mr Merlyn Rees: From 1st January 1966 to 30th September, 1967, 274 reports were received. 242 reports were found to have mundane explanations. The remaining 37 reports remain unexplained because the information provided was so inadequate that no conclusive investigation was possible. The detailed analysis of these reports against the background of reports since the beginning of 1959 is set out below.

[Table with columns entitled, from left to right, “year”, “satellites and debris”, “balloons”, “celestial objects”, “Meteorological and natural phenomena”, “aircraft”, “miscellaneous”, “unexplained (insufficient information)”, “total”.
The contents of each row, from left to right are as follows:
1959, 1, 3, 1, 7, 4, 2, 4, 22
1960, -, 8, 2, 7, 10, 1, 3, 31
1961, 16, 11, 8, 20, 9, 5, 2, 71
1962, 11, 6, 5, 8, 9, 4, 3, 46
1963, 18, 6, 4, 4, 10, 7, 2, 51
1964, 43, 3, 6, -, 10, 7, 5, 74
1965, 27, 3, 3, 2, 7, -, 14, 56
1966, 38, 10, 5, 5, 17, 15, 5, 95

Total, 154, 50, 34, 53, 76, 41, 38, 446

1967 (TO 30.9.67), 30, 33, 7, 18, 58, 1, 32, 179

Total, 184, 83, 41, 71, 134, 42, 70, 625]

“Note : Miscellaneous reports include, for example, hoaxes and the reflection of light on clouds”

22 November 1967
House of Commons Volume 754 written answers column 367
[Cross Refer: Public Record Office File Reference DEFE 31/110]
[Cross Refer: Beyond Top Secret, page 43 of hardback edition]
[Cross Refer : “Above Top Secret” by Timothy Good, page 65 of hardback edition]

“Unidentified Flying Objects
Mr Wall asked the Secretary of State for Defence what exchange of information or other co-operation is taking place between his Department and the official United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics investigations into the problem of unidentified flying objects.

Mr Merlyn Rees : We are in touch with the Americans on this subject but not with the Russians. I understand the conclusions which the Americans have reached coincide with ours.”

29 November 1967
House of Commons Volume 755 written answers column 128

“Unidentified Flying Objects
Sir J Langford-Holt asked the President of the Board of Trade by what authority he requires reports of unidentified flying objects from the police ; and what action he takes on them.

Mr J P W Mallalie : No such reports are called for.”

19 December 1967:
House of Commons Vol 756, Written Answers column 379

“Unidentified Flying Objects
Q14. Sir J. Langford-Holt asked the Prime Minister whether he is satisfied that all sightings of unidentified flying objects which are reported from service sources are explainable, what inquiries he has authorized into these objects outside the defence aspect, and whether he will now appoint one Minister to look into all aspects of reports.

The Prime Minister: The Answers are ‘Yes, except when the information given is insufficient’, ‘None’ and ‘No.’”

22 January 1968
House of Commons Volume 757 column 40
[Cross Refer: Beyond Top Secret, page 43 of hardback edition]
[Cross Refer : “Above Top Secret” by Timothy Good, page 65 of hardback edition]

“Unidentified Flying Objects
Mr Edward M Taylor asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many reports of unidentified flying objects were received in 1967; how many of these reports were subsequently shown to have a natural explanation; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Merlyn Rees : The total number of reports received in 1967 reflects a wave of public interest in UFOs, reaching a peak towards the end of the year. The analysis of the reports published below shows that, as in previous years, the vast majority were found to have mundane explanations ; the remainder of the reports contained insufficient investigation but nothing to suggest that they related to incidents materially different in kind from those that were explained.

UFO STATISTICS – 1st JANUARY, 1959 TO 31st DECEMBER, 1967
[Table with columns entitled, from left to right, “year”, “satellites”, “balloons”, “celestial objects”, “Meteorological and natural phenomena”, “aircraft”, “miscellaneous”, “unexplained “insufficient information”, “under investigation”, “total”.
The contents of each row, from left to right are as follows:
1959, 1, 3, 1, 7, 4, 2, 4, -, 22
1960, -, 8, 2, 7, 10, 1, 3, -, 31
1961, 16, 11, 8, 20, 9, 5, 2, -, 71
1962, 11, 6, 5, 8, 9, 4, 3, -, 46
1963, 18, 6, 4, 4, 10, 7, 2, -, 51
1964, 43, 3, 6, -, 10, 7, 5, -, 74
1965, 27, 3, 3, 2, 7, -, 14, -, 56
1966, 38, 10, 5, 5, 17, 15, 5, -, 95

Total, 154, 50, 34, 53, 76, 41, 38, -, 446

1967, 57, 42, 24, 19, 149, 18, 46, 7, 362

Total, 211, 92, 58, 72, 225, 59, 84, 7, 808]

“Note : Miscellaneous reports include, for example, hoaxes and the reflection of light on clouds”

13 March 1968
House of Commons Volume 760 written answers column 299-300
“Unidentified Flying Objects
Sir J Langford-Holt asked the President of the Board of Trade what action he has taken on the reports he has received from the Metropolitan Police on the subject of unidentified flying objects.

Mr Darling: On 26th January, 1968, a police patrol car informed the Air Traffic Control Centre at Heathrow that a ball of fire had been seen. Since it was clear that this was not caused by an aircraft in difficulties nor was it causing a hazard to air traffic no further action was taken.”

11 June 1968
House of Commons Volume 766 written answers column 26
[Cross Refer : “Beyond Top Secret” by Timothy Good, page 44 of hardback edition]
[Cross Refer : “Above Top Secret” by Timothy Good, page 66 of hardback edition]

“UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECTS
Q4. Sir J Langford-Holt asked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that under the present arrangements some reports of unidentified flying objects are made to the Ministry of Defence and police reports are made to the Board of Trade ; and whether he will arrange that all such reports are made to one department.

The Prime Minister: No, I am not so aware. Reports from any source, including any received by the Board of Trade, are passed on to the Ministry of Defence.

1969
7 May 1969
House of Commons Volume 783 written answers column 80

“Unidentified Flying Objects
44. Sir J Langford-Holt asked the Secretary of State for Defence what details have been given to his Department of the report made by the two police officers at Spelsbury, Oxfordshire, of unidentified flying objects on or about 25th October, 1967 ; what study he has made of these reports ; and what action he has taken.

Mr Reynolds: Sufficient information was available for an examination by Ministry of Defence staff to establish that the report had no implications for the air defence of the United Kingdom. Therefore no further action was taken.”

1970s

26 November 1970
House of Commons Volume 807 Written Answers column 185-6
“Unidentified Flying Objects
Mr Kinnock asked the Minister of State for Defence what is the cost to public funds of his Department’s investigations of the sighting of the pulsating unidentified flying objects reported to his Department by Mr and Mrs Lockhart of Downs Park Road, Hackney, on 21st November.

Mr Lambton: The investigations into unidentified flying objects are handled as a normal defence function and the only extra cost to public funds is that of the staff involved in handling reports and inquiries in Ministry of Defence Headquarters. In 1969, the last period for which complete statistics are available, the average cost of answering each inquiry was about £9.”

1972
27 January 1972
House of Commons Volume 829 written answers column 504
“Unidentified Flying Objects
61. Sir J Langford-Holt asked the Minister of State for Defence what action is taken on the 10 per cent. of all reports of unidentified flying objects for which there is no explanation ; and how long these reports are kept.

Mr Lambton: 9.3 per cent. of the reports received at the Ministry of Defence from 1959 to 1970 remain unexplained because insufficient information was given. No further action is taken, but records of unidentified flying object reports received since 1962 are kept indefinitely.”

16 March 1972
House of Commons Volume 833 written answers column 141-2
[Cross Refer: Public Record Office File Reference AIR 2/18871]
“Unidentified Flying Objects
19. Sir J Langford-Holt asked the Minister of State for Defence how many persons in his Department have been fully engaged upon investigating the 10 per cent. of unidentified flying object reports for which there is no explanation ; what form this investigation takes ; and what action has been taken.

Lord Lambton: There are no Ministry of Defence staff engaged full-time on the investigation of unidentified flying objects. Reports are examined, as necessary, by appropriate specialist staff at the Ministry of Defence headquarters, Royal Air Force commands and elsewhere to determine whether there are any possible defence implications. As I explained in the reply to my hon. Friend on 27th January, 1972, bi further action is taken in cases where it is impossible to give an explanation because of insufficient information. – [Vol. 829, c. 504]”.

22 June 1972
House of Commons Volume 839 oral answers column 698-9
[Cross Refer: Public Record Office File Reference AIR 2/18871]
“Unidentified Flying Objects
Mr James Lamond asked the Minister of State for Defence how many members of Her Majesty’s Forces are engaged in the investigation of reports of unidentified flying objects at the present time ; and what is the comparable figure for 10 years ago.

Lord Lambton : No members of Her Majesty’s Forces are engaged full time on the investigation of unidentified flying objects but reports are examined, as necessary, by appropriate specialist staff at the Ministry of Defence headquarters, Royal Air Force commands and elsewhere as a normal staff function to determine whether there are any possible defence implications. Details of the numbers engaged on such investigations 10 years are not, I regret, available ; but there has been no significant change over that period.

Mr Lamond: Does not the Minister think that this would be an excellent job for some of the Army officers we have just been speaking about? Many citizens would like the Government’s reassurance that the Government are not to blame for the coldest Midsummer Day we have had this century and confirmation of their belief that it is due to unidentified flying objects.

Lord Lambton: I do not know what the question is, but perhaps the hon. Gentleman would like to look into this investigation himself.

Mr Gorst: Will my hon. Friend inform the House what, within the context of his answer, he means by an “unidentified flying object”?

Lord Lambton: A flying object which is unidentified.”

22 June 1972
House of Commons Volume 839 oral answers column 698-9
[Cross Refer: Public Record Office File Reference AIR 2/18871]
“Unidentified Flying Objects
Mr James Lamond asked the Minister of State for Defence how many members of Her Majesty’s Forces are engaged in the investigation of reports of unidentified flying objects at the present time ; and what is the comparable figure for 10 years ago.

Lord Lambton : No members of Her Majesty’s Forces are engaged full time on the investigation of unidentified flying objects but reports are examined, as necessary, by appropriate specialist staff at the Ministry of Defence headquarters, Royal Air Force commands and elsewhere as a normal staff function to determine whether there are any possible defence implications. Details of the numbers engaged on such investigations 10 years are not, I regret, available ; but there has been no significant change over that period.

Mr Lamond: Does not the Minister think that this would be an excellent job for some of the Army officers we have just been speaking about? Many citizens would like the Government’s reassurance that the Government are not to blame for the coldest Midsummer Day we have had this century and confirmation of their belief that it is due to unidentified flying objects.

Lord Lambton: I do not know what the question is, but perhaps the hon. Gentleman would like to look into this investigation himself.

Mr Gorst: Will my hon. Friend inform the House what, within the context of his answer, he means by an “unidentified flying object”?

Lord Lambton: A flying object which is unidentified.”

1973
16 October 1973
House of Commons Volume 861 written answers column 4
“Unidentified Flying Objects
Mr Bishop asked the Minister of State for Defence how many reports of unidentified flying objects were received for each year since 1967, categorised into numbers of satellites, debris, balloons, celestial objects, meteorological and natural phenomena, &c ; how many were shown to have a natural explanation ; what action his department takes to monitor UFOs ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Kershaw: All reports of sightings of unidentified flying objects received from Service and civilian sources alike are studied for any possible air defence implications. Reports received in the period 1967 to 1972 are considered to have originated in the followings ways:

[Table with columns entitled, from left to right, untitled, “total”, “satellites”, “balloons”, “celestial objects”, “Meteorological and natural phenomena”, “aircraft”, “miscellaneous”.
The contents of each row, from left to right are as follows:
1967 362, 57, 42, 26, 19, 150, 22
1968 280, 65, 10, 36, 3, 114, 30
1969 228, 37, 9, 27, 19, 101, 17
1970 181, 9, 8, 31, 16, 97, 5
1971 379, 28, 11, 33, 62, 160, 27
1972 201, 7, 28, 17, 2, 128, 5
]

In the remaining cases insufficient information was provided for the likely cause to be ascertained. I do not think there is any aspect of this subject which merits a statement at present.”

30 November 1977
House of Lords Volume 387 Written Answers columns 1347-8
“UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECTS
The Earl of CLANCARTY asked Her Majesty’s Government:
Whether they are aware that Monsieur Robert Galley, the then French Minister of Defence, in his radio interview on the France-Inter radio on 21st February 1974 stated that the gendarmerie are playing a very large part in official investigations into unidentified flying object sightings and alleged landings; and whether our police have been likewise officially instructed to collect reports and investigate these unidentified flying objects.

Lord HARRIS of GREENWICH: The Government have no knowledge of either the radio interview to which the Question refers, or the role played by the gendarmerie in investigating unidentified flying objects. The police in this country have not been asked to collect reports of, or investigate, unidentified flying objects. The jurisdiction and powers of the police are normally confined to terrestrial activities, but I have every confidence that should an occasion arise where there is evidence that an unidentified flying object has landed within a police area, the police force concerned will investigate it with its customary vigour. However, until there is some clear indication that the frequency of such occurrence is likely to impose a significant burden on the police, I doubt whether it would prove fruitful to issue guidance on the subject.”

01 December 1977
House of Lords Volume 387 Written Answers columns 1453-4
“UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECTS
The Earl of CLANCARTY asked Her Majesty’s Government:
Whether they are aware that in an interview on France-Inter radio on 21st February 1974 Monsieur Robert Galley, then French Minister of Defence, stated that his Ministry had set up a section in 1954 to study eyewitness accounts of unidentified flying objects; and whether our Ministry of Defence also has a section to investigate these unidentified flying objects.

Lord WINTERBOTTOM: The Government have no record of a statement made in February 1974 by the then French Minister of Defence.

Our Ministry of Defence has no specific organisation engaged on the examination of reports of unidentified flying objects; reports are examined by specialist staffs as part of their normal duties to see if they contain any implications for the defence of the United Kingdom. Investigations into any scientific significance of phenomena
[column 1454]
which go beyond defence interests are not carried out by the Department.”

06 December 1977
House of Lords Volume 387 written answers columns 1599-1600
“UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECTS
The Earl of CLANCARTY asked Her Majesty’s Government:
Whether they are aware that in France, since 1st September 1977, a section for the study of unidentified flying objects has been set up in the National Centre for Space Studies in Toulouse, under the direction of Monsieur Clause Poher, a distinguished scientist, and that this body is sponsored upon the French Ministry of Industry and Research; and whether there is a similar scientific organisation under Government sponsorship in the United Kingdom to study unidentified flying
[column 1600]
objects, working closely with the French one.

The MINISTER of STATE, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION and SCIENCE (Lord Donaldson of Kingsbridge): Her Majesty’s Government understand that a study group called the Groupe d’Etudes sur les Phenomenes Aerospatiales Non-Identifies (GEPAN) has been set up under the French Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Artisans at the National Centre for Space Studies in Toulouse. The group has no formal links with the United Kingdom, and we have no similar scientific group to study unidentified objects or phenomena.”

12 December 1977
House of Lords Volume 387 Written Answers column 2223
“UFOs: FRENCH RADIO BROADCAST

The EARL of CLANCARTY asked Her Majesty’s Government:
Whether they will reconsider their decision, implicit in their answers to two recent Questions for Written Answer (cols. 1347 and 1453), not to draw the attention of the Ministry of Defence and the Home Office to the interview on France-Inter radio in February 1974 of the then French Minister of Defence M. Robert Galley about unidentified flying objects which is transcribed in his book The Crack in the Universe.

Lord Winterbottom: The Ministry of Defence are endeavouring to obtain an official transcript of the interview said to have taken place on France-Inter radio in February 1974”