15.1 | Civilian
personnel
positions
itself rather than rely on third country nationals or CPA Baghdad.
If necessary,
the FCO
Board of Management should be asked to rule that Iraq was its top
priority and
that staff
willing to go there could be pulled out of existing jobs at short
notice.
186.
On 2
September, Mr Blair requested advice on how to improve
conditions for UK
staff
working for the CPA and the British Office Baghdad.125
187.
The FCO
advised that improvements were in hand in Baghdad and
Basra.126
Efforts
were being made to speed up the move from the CPA building to the
former
regime
palace in Basra, which was expected to be ready by
mid‑October.
188.
On 4
September, the MOD put proposals to Mr Blair for additional
troop
deployments
to the South‑East to improve overall security and help
accelerate
reconstruction
(see Section 9.2).127
In addition
to the extra troops, the MOD intended
to put an
additional Brigade Headquarters on reduced notice to move in order
to
support
other requirements, which were still to be scoped, but included
support to
DFID‑managed
critical infrastructure work and the provision of military
protection
to civilian
contractors.
189.
Mr Blair
agreed the proposals shortly afterwards.128
190.
On 17
September, Sir Michael Jay informed Permanent Secretaries
that:
“We now
have 18 armoured vehicles in Baghdad for travel outside the
Secure
Zone. By
the end of November there will be 68 vehicles in country, including
for staff
working for
CPA in Basra and the Governorate Teams … For each of these
vehicles
there is a
two‑man Armed Protection Team (APT). The contractors (Control
Risks)
now have 72
personnel protecting our staff in CPA and will be providing a
total
complement
of 110 men, including for CPA Basra and the Governorate
Teams.” 129
191.
In his
valedictory report from Basra, Sir Hilary Synnott thanked DFID
for procuring
a large
number of armoured vehicles and civilian protection teams for
CPA(South) staff
to use:
“They have saved several lives from explosive
devices.” 130
192.
On 22
September, Mr John Buck, the FCO’s recently appointed Iraq
Director,
updated
Mr Alan Charlton, the FCO Personnel Director, on staffing
requirements
in London
and Iraq. Mr Buck stated:
“I
understand pressures on staff resources. But there is a real need
to get staffing of
Iraq work
onto a basis sustainable in the medium term. So far, it has
understandably
125
Letter
Cannon to Adams, 2 September 2003, ‘Iraq: Briefing for the Prime
Minister’.
126
Letter
Adams to Cannon, 4 September 2003, ‘Iraq: Briefing for the Prime
Minister’ attaching Paper,
‘Iraq:
Conditions of Service for UK Civilian Staff’.
127
Letter
Williams to Rycroft, 4 September 2003, ‘Iraq: UK Forces and
Resources Review’.
128
Manuscript
comments Blair and Rycroft on Letter Williams to Rycroft, 4
September 2003,
‘Iraq: UK Forces
and Resources Review’.
129
Letter Jay
to Street, 17 September 2003, ‘Security In Iraq’.
130
Telegram 10
CPA Basra to FCO London, 26 January 2004, ‘Basra Valedictory’
[Parts 1 and 2].
275