“Freedom of Information Act 2000 (Section 50) –
Decision Notice –
Date: 10 June 2010”
by Gerrard Tracey, Principal Policy Adviser
(Information Commissioner’s Office, Wilmslow , UK
Quote from the document:
“The Request
3. On 11 April 2007 the
complainant made the following request:
‘My request, (therefore), is
for copies of MoD papers, records
or other information relating to any or all internal discussions,
policy and/or briefings in response to 1) public statement made
to the media and 2) via the release of Open Skies Closed Minds
by Mr Nicholas Pope during the period 1995-96. I wish you to
include specific public interest material within the coverage
of this request as follows:
a) Any internal discussions relating to Mr. Pope's public statements in the Mail on Sunday 2 July 1995, The Independent 3 June 1996 and other press articles during 1995/1996.
b) Any specific discussions relating to Mr Pope’s published
or other information relating to any or all internal discussions,
policy and/or briefings in response to 1) public statement made
to the media and 2) via the release of Open Skies Closed Minds
by Mr Nicholas Pope during the period 1995-96. I wish you to
include specific public interest material within the coverage
of this request as follows:
a) Any internal discussions relating to Mr. Pope's public statements in the Mail on Sunday 2 July 1995, The Independent 3 June 1996 and other press articles during 1995/1996.
b) Any specific discussions relating to Mr Pope’s published
statements that contradicted
the department’s officially stated
policy on the subject of UFO’s
and their supposed defence threat.
c) Any papers, generated by MOD
or its PCB branch, that relate to
Mr Pope’s public allegation
that ‘there was a faction [in the MOD]
that certainly didn’t want the
book to appear.’ Specifically I
request a copy of ‘the short
letter’ referred to in Mr Pope’s
interview with IUR which
allegedly said his manuscript was
‘completely unacceptable to MoD
and quite beyond any suitable
Amendment’ and any related
discussion which resolved this
issue. As Mr Pope has spoken of
this matter openly and in public
it cannot be seriously argued
that this material falls within the
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