16.1 |
The welfare of Service Personnel
138.
Annex C to Dr
Hutton’s briefing provided more detail on key issues, including
the
sustainability
of the proposed deployment. It stated:
“It remains
the case that, with likely timelines for transition in Iraq, the
HTF
deployment
is achievable without serious damage to Harmony, though certain
niche
trades and
capabilities (particularly air transport) will be placed under
increased,
but manageable,
stress.”
139.
The decision
to deploy to Helmand was approved in Cabinet on 26
January.94
The minutes
record that Dr Reid “was looking carefully at where the burden on
our
troops
could be reduced, including in Iraq and Bosnia and hoped to be able
to report
troop and
cost reductions in coming months”.
140.
There were
different views within the MOD over the effect of the
deployment
on
personnel. Lt Gen Palmer, DCDS(Personnel) from 2002 to August 2005,
told the
Inquiry
that, as he left post, he expressed his concern that deploying two
brigades
simultaneously
(to Iraq and Afghanistan) would breach the Harmony Guidelines
and
the Defence
Planning Assumptions, and was “too big a risk”.95
141.
Sir Kevin
Tebbit, MOD Permanent Under Secretary from 2001 to 2005,
told
the Inquiry:
“I was
apprehensive [about the deployment of UK forces to Helmand] and I
made
my concerns
known to my planning staff and to the Chiefs of Staff. I think
their
view was
that they could do it and it was manageable … since it was [the
Chiefs
of Staff]
who would actually have to ensure they could do this, I did not
press my
142.
The impact of
the decision on the availability of key equipment capabilities for
Iraq
is
addressed in Section 14.1.
143.
UK troops
began to deploy to Helmand in May 2006.
144.
In August
2006, concerns emerged over the treatment of injured Service
Personnel
being
treated on civilian wards at Selly Oak hospital in the UK, and the
adequacy of
the welfare
package provide to them and their families. The concerns are
described
in Section
16.2.
94
Cabinet
Conclusions, 26 January 2006.
95
Public
hearing, 21 July 2010, page 80.
96
Public
hearing, 3 February 2010, pages 15 and 16.
27