MOD file DEFE 24/2032/1

-e
RESTRICTED
,, ~·~·~ r:~·k\o ~)ire:o.'..K~~~lt- .1 ~~. 6 &
M .
!REDACTION ()11:1 ORIGINAL DOCUMENT I
DRAFT
PS.{p:s_C!.f'S ( RAF) through DUS (Air) and PS /USofS (?Ali')
C<1pies to: PS/CS(RAF)
ACS(G)(RAtl________
DI55- Hr---
Ops ( GE) 2b (RAJ!,)
Placed opposite is a draft closing address for the Lords
debate on UFOs, and a Background Note; due at your office by
12 ..!I§:.Il}lar;l_.l2_79.
2. There is a temptation to equivocate about UFOs because of
the thought that vTe might one day make contact vTi th people from
distant stars. Hovrever, there is nothing to indicate that
ufology is anything but claptrap and no evidence a-t all of 1alien
space craft'. The lJFO industry has prospered from equivocation and,
l-Ti th 1979 1)eing heralded as 'the year of the UFOs 1 , it seems very
proper for HI1TI to inject some massive common sense into the business
and come out vTi th an equj_voc·al attack on ufolOfr'J. Yli th the impact of
the film "Close Encounters of the Third Kind", and the increasing
efforts of the UFO industry and increasing publicity giYen to its
exponents, quite sensible people may begin to wonder whether there
might not be something in uf'ology, on the "vThere there's smoke there's
..
fire" principle. Less sensible people may be increasingly confused
and perhaps even worried, to the increasing profit and encouragement
of the UFO industry. The subject will not go avray, the Department
and probably Ministers are likely to find themselves increasingly
involved and under pressure for formal statements; and the popular
and UFO press are l:.i.kely to make· all the mileage they can out of tho
Lords Debate, particularly if there are signn of equivocation or
phrases that can easily be misrepresented.
4. Acc-:ordi!'igly it is strongly recommended that the GovermlJ'}nt take
an 1.Ule(j_uivocal a!.1d "Lmcompromislne line.