The Report
of the Iraq Inquiry
48.
From 21
January 2003, Lord Bach, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State
and
Minister
for Defence Procurement, was asked by Mr Geoff Hoon, the
Defence Secretary,
to take
temporary responsibility for the progression of UORs. Lord Bach’s
role, and the
weekly
meetings he chaired with senior officials to consider progress, is
addressed more
extensively
in Section 6.3.
49.
On 7 February,
Air Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup, Deputy Chief of the Defence
Staff
(Equipment
Capability) (DCDS(EC)) from April 2002 to May 2003, advised Lord
Bach
that an
agreement in principle had been reached with the Treasury to
continue funding
“small
scale UORs” for operations following the combat phase:
“We are
starting to identify potential UORs for aftermath operations but
will need
a robust
concept of operations if we are to secure Treasury agreement to
fund such
measures.
Initial plans are being developed by PJHQ and are being taken
forward
by DCDS(C)
staff, but must be seen in light of US plans and the wider
Government
context for
which the FCO has the lead.”20
50.
In an update
to Lord Bach on 28 February, Rear Admiral Charles Style,
Capability
Manager
(Strategic Deployment), wrote that the MOD continued to “identify,
prioritise
and refine
potential UORs” for Phase IV.21
51.
RAdm Style
wrote key enhancements that were “likely to be required”
included:
•
force
protection against the asymmetric threat, particularly for elements
of the
air transport
fleet; and
•
long‑term
infrastructure enhancements.
52.
On 14 March,
RAdm Style reported to Lord Bach that the Treasury had accepted
in
principle
that some additional resources from the Reserve22
would be
needed for Phase
53.
RAdm Style
wrote that work was continuing to clarify and better define
UOR
requirements
for Phase IV: 26 had been identified as high priority “regardless
of the
CONOPS” and
a further 84 possible UORs had been identified by Front Line
Commands
but would
remain “below the line” until the CONOPS had been developed
further.
54.
On 21 March,
AM Stirrup reported to Lord Bach that PJHQ had endorsed
USURs
for 10
high‑priority UORs for Phase IV, including maritime communications,
aircraft
protection
and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) capabilities.24
20
Minute
DCDS(EC) to PS/Minister(DP), 7 February 2003, ‘Iraq: Op TELIC
UORs’.
21
Minute
CM(SD) to PS/Min(DP), 28 February 2003, ‘Iraq: Op TELIC
UORs’.
22
The Reserve
is a fund held by the Treasury intended for genuinely unforeseen
contingencies which
departments
cannot manage from their own resources and was used to pay for the
net additional costs
of military
operations (NACMO). The process behind that is explained in Section
13.1.
23
Minute
CM(SD) to PS/Minister(DP), 14 March 2003, ‘Iraq: Op TELIC
UORs’.
24
Minute
DCDS(EC) to PS/Minister(DP), 21 March 2003, ‘Iraq: Op TELIC
UORs’.
12