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Written Answers
Wednesday, 14th October 1998.
Unidentified Flying Objects
Lord Hill-Norton asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will list the document references and titles of all open files at the Public Record Office that contain information about unidentified flying objects.[HL3314]
The Lord Chancellor (Lord Irvine of Lairg): I list below the document references and titles of all open files at the Public Record Office known to staff to contain information about unidentified flying objects. There may be information in other open files but this could be discovered only at disproportionate cost. AIR 2 Air Ministry Registered Files AIR 2/16918 1961-1963, alleged sightings of UFO's. Letters from members of the public on alleged sightings. Magazine entitled Cosmic Voice "Mars and Venus Speak to Earth", dated November-December 1961/Article entitled Men from Outer Space: Are they visiting Britain? AIR 2/17318 1963 UFO reports AIR 2/17526 1964 UFO reports AIR 2/17527 1964-1965 UFO reports AIR 2/17982 1965-1966 UFO reports AIR 2/17983 1966 UFO reports (with photographs) AIR 2/17984 1966-67 UFO reports (with photographs) AIR 14 Bomber Command AIR 14/2800 1943 December No. 115 Squadron: News Sheet Bang On No. 1. Aerial phenomena--reports of UFOs on RAF bombing raids. AIR 16 Fighter Command AIR 16/1199 1952 September Flying saucers: occurrence reports by service personnel at Topcliffe station, Thirsk, and local public. AIR 20 Unregistered Papers AIR 20/7390 1952 Reported sightings of UFOs: memorandum prepared for the War Office. AIR 20/9320 1957 Parliamentary Question from 17 April 1957 by Mr. Stan Awbery MP: To ask the Secretary of State for Air, what recent investigations have been made into unidentified flying objects; what photographs have been taken; and what reports have been made on this subject. Reply by the Secretary of State (Mr. Ward). Notes on UFOs provided for the Minister's use. Also: UFO incident at West Freugh in Wigtownshire in 1957; incidents and signals at RAF Church Lawford, RAF Bempton and RAF Lakenheath; newspaper clippings 6 April 1957 from the News Chronicle and the Evening Standard;, photographs of object over the Channel Islands from the Daily Sketch of 6 April 1957. AIR 20/9321 1957 Parliamentary Question 15 May 1957 from Major Patrick Wall MP: To ask the Secretary of State for Air, how many unidentified flying objects have been detected over Great Britain this year as
compared with previous years; and whether the object picked up on radar over the Dover Straits on 29 April has yet been identified. Further questions to the Minister from Mr. Frank Beswick MP. Notes for Minister on reported sightings. Replies by Mr. Ward. Newspaper clippings April-May 1957: The Times, News Chronicle, Daily Worker, Daily Mirror, Daily Sketch, Daily Telegraph, Daily Express and the Evening News. AIR 20/9322 1957 Parliamentary Question 15 May 1957 from Mr. Frank Beswick MP: To ask the Secretary of State for Air, what was the nature of the aircraft or other aircraft sighted on the radar defence screens on Monday night and which occasioned the despatch of Fighter Command. Reply by Mr. Ward. Notes for Ministers. AIR 20/9994 Headquarters Southern Section Intelligence. Reports on Aerial Phenomena, including "observation of unusual aerial phenomena at Royal Air Force Ventor on 29 July 1957". Two Copies of "Track Tracing" Sheets. Description of UFOs, for example, RAF Lyneham 9 December 1957: "December 1957: Description large bright crescent shaped object or could be a sphere with trails from edges. Travelling on a course of 290 degrees at a moderate speed. Seemed to be descending and not at a very great height". AIR 20/11887 1967 August (with maps) AIR 20/11888 1967 September AIR 20/11889 1967 October (with photographs) AIR 20/11890 1967 October (with maps) AIR 20/11891 1967 November (with maps) AIR 20/11892 1967 November AIR 20/11893 1967 December AIR 22 Periodical Returns, Summaries and Bulletins AIR 22/93 1955 Air Ministry Secret Intelligence Summary March 1955. Volume 10, Article No. 3 on Flying Saucers "An object was reported . . .". PREM 11 Prime Minister's Office: Correspondence and Papers, 1951-1964. PREM 11/855 1952 Personal Minute from the Prime Minister, Mr. Winston Churchill to the Secretary of State for Air, Lord Cheswell, dated 28 July 1952. "What does all this stuff about flying saucers amount to? What can it mean? What is the truth? Let me have a report at your convenience." Minute from the Secretary of State, dated 9 August 1952, dismissing stories about flying saucers.
Lord Hill-Norton asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will list the document references and titles of all closed files at the Public Record Office that contain information about unidentified flying objects.[HL3315]
The Lord Chancellor: I list below the document references and titles of all closed files in the Public Record Office known to its staff to contain information about unidentified flying objects. There may be information in other closed files but this could be discovered only at disproportionate cost.
AIR 2 Air Ministry: Registered Files AIR 2/18183 1968-1969 Unidentified Flying Objects* AIR 20 Unregistered Papers AIR 20/11612 1967-1968 Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs)* AIR 20/11895 1968 April UFOs* AIR 20/11896 1968 May UFOs* AIR 20/11897 1968 June UFOs* AIR 20/11898 1968 July UFOs* AIR 20/11899 1968 August UFOs* AIR 20/11900 1968 September UFOs* AIR 20/11901 1968 October UFOs* AIR 20/11902 1968 November UFOs* AIR 20/12055 1969 January UFOs* AIR 20/12056 1969 February UFOs* AIR 20/12057 1969 March UFOs* AIR 20/12058 1969 April UFOs* AIR 20/12059 1969 May UFOs* AIR 20/12060 1969 June UFOs* AIR 20/12061 1969 July UFOs* AIR 20/12062 1969 August UFOs* AIR 20/12063 1969 September UFOs* AIR 20/12064 1969 October UFOs* AIR 20/12065 1969 November UFOs* AIR 20/12066 1969 December UFOs* AIR 20/12067 1970 January UFOs* AIR 20/12297 1970 February UFOs* AIR 20/12298 1970 March UFOs* AIR 20/12299 1970 April UFOs* AIR 20/12300 1970 May UFOs* AIR 20/12301 1970 June UFOs* AIR 20/12302 1970 July UFOs* AIR 20/12303 1970 August UFOs* AIR 20/12304 1970 September UFOs* AIR 20/12305 1970 October UFOs* AIR 20/12306 1970 November UFOs* * = Thirty year closure rule applies.Surrogacy: Review Report
Baroness Gould of Potternewton asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will publish the report of the review of aspects of surrogacy arrangements announced in June 1997.[HL3414]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Baroness Hayman): The Government have received the report of the review team, chaired by Professor Margaret Brazier, OBE, and this is being published today as Cm 4068. Copies will be placed in the Library. We intend to consult formally on the recommendations in the report and an
announcement about that will be made in due course. We are very grateful to Professor Brazier and her colleagues, Professors Alastair Campbell and Susan Golombok, for their work.National Blood Authority
Lord Clement-Jones asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether a new management plan has been received from the new Chairman of the National Blood Authority and when it will be published.[HL3390]
Baroness Hayman: We have received the operational plan for 1998-99. Copies are available from the National Blood Authority and copies will be placed in the Library.
Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting Strategy
Lord Clement-Jones asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Following the recent consultation, when it is anticipated that the Department of Health will publish its Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting Strategy.[HL3391]
Baroness Hayman: The Department of Health plans to publish a new Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting Strategy in the new year.
CIREA: Asylum Information Exchange
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Williams of Mostyn on 3 September (WA 12), whether they will publish the proceedings of the Centre for Information, Discussion and Exchange on Asylum (CIREA).[HL3303]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Lord Williams of Mostyn): The outcome of proceedings of the CIREA group are contained in Council documents which can be applied for under the Council's Decision 93/731 on Access to Documents. Applications should be made in writing to the Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union, 175 Rue de la Loi, 1048 Brussels. The Council Secretariat will decide whether the documents may be disclosed, in accordance with the criteria laid down in the Decision. In the event of a refusal, applicants may make a confirmatory application for the document to the Council. The official journal of the European Union published a report of CIREA activities on 23 June 1997 C.191 concerning the period 1994 to 1996. The Government favour disclosure of as great a number of documents as possible.
Mr. John Callaghan
Earl Kitchener asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether a date has yet been fixed for the inquest on Mr. John Callaghan, who died in Strangeways Prison on 7 May 1996, while awaiting psychiatric assessment.[HL3343]
Lord Williams of Mostyn: A date has not yet been set for the inquest into the death of Mr. Callaghan. However, I understand that it is likely to be held early in the new year.
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