Introduction

1999 Chicago speech (see Section 1.1). That advice is also published on the Inquiry’s

website. Sir Lawrence also participated in expert seminars before the invasion of Iraq.

Other than as the official historian of the Falklands Campaign, Sir Lawrence has never

held a position of paid employment in government.

18. When Sir Gus O’Donnell, the Cabinet Secretary, nominated Ms Margaret Aldred

to be Secretary to the Inquiry he did so in full knowledge of Ms Aldred’s role as Deputy

Head of the Overseas and Defence Secretariat in the Cabinet Office between 2004

and 2009.5 Given the values of the Civil Service, Sir Gus saw no conflict of interest in

Ms Aldred’s appointment, a point repeated by Sir John Chilcot in his evidence to the

Foreign Affairs Select Committee on 4 February 2015.6

19. The Inquiry has considered a number of documents produced by the Overseas

and Defence Secretariat during Ms Aldred’s tenure as Deputy Head. The Committee

has had full access to these papers, including minutes written by Ms Aldred and papers

she approved. Ms Aldred’s name is clearly identifiable where any such evidence is cited

in the Report.

20. At the start of its work, the Inquiry held meetings in Belfast, Bristol, Edinburgh,

London and Manchester with some of the families of members of the Armed Forces

who died on, or as a result of, military operations in Iraq. The Inquiry also met serving

and former Service Personnel in London, Manchester, Shrivenham and Tidworth and

at Headley Court. The Inquiry wanted to hear directly from both groups about their

experiences, and in particular about the issues on which they considered the Inquiry

should focus.

21. Those discussions were extremely valuable in shaping the Inquiry’s work, and the

Inquiry is grateful to all those who took part for their contribution. The Inquiry has sought

to address in its Report many of the points that were raised in the meetings and which

fell within its Terms of Reference. Where the Inquiry’s Report makes specific reference

to a point that was raised, it has not attributed it to an individual.

22. In November 2009, the Inquiry held two seminars with a range of experts on Iraq to

inform the Inquiry’s approach to its task ahead of witness hearings. The first considered

the evolution of international policy towards Iraq between 1990 and 2003 as well as the

state of Iraq and the region on the eve of the invasion, and the second considered the

causes and consequences of Iraq’s descent into violence after the invasion.

5 From June 2007, the Overseas and Defence Secretariat was known as the Foreign and Defence Policy

Secretariat.

6 Foreign Affairs Committee, 4 February 2015, Oral Evidence: Progress of the Iraq Inquiry, HC 1027.

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