§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the reports of encounters by Royal Air Force pilots with unidentified flying craft since 1966 which have not been released to the public; on what grounds they have been retained; and if he will make a statement. [2201]
§ Mr. SoamesThe information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the Royal Air Force's practice as regards investigating sightings of unidentified flying craft which correlate with radar information; if there is a requirement to investigate such phenomena by scrambling aircraft; and if he will make a statement. [2200]
§ Mr. SoamesUnidentified contacts penetrating UK airspace or the UK air defence region are identified by all available means, including interception.