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16.3  |  Military fatalities and the bereaved
137.  The 2005 review stated that, in relation to investigations on operations, “delay
is still an issue”. Delays were generally due to “overstretch and practical inhibitors”,
such as the need for force protection, rather than any specific failings on the part of
the Service Police.
138.  The review also stated that the “primary RMP output” in Iraq was now providing
support for the reform of Iraq’s security forces.
139.  The review recorded that work on the future structure of the Army had resulted
in an uplift of nearly 10 percent in the baseline figure for RMP manpower.
Changes to MOD processes
140.  AM Pocock wrote to Mr Des Browne, the Defence Secretary, on 17 August
2006 proposing that the timeline for conducting BOIs should be increased from 14 to
27 weeks.88 The MOD was operating at “maximum efficiency, within resources” but,
for the Army in particular, experience since the current timeline was introduced in June
2004 had shown that it was “not achievable”. No Army BOI had met the current 14‑week
timeline. The Royal Navy and RAF did not have a problem with the current timeline but
“saw merit” in extending it.
141.  AM Pocock summarised the problems in meeting the current timelines:
It was not possible to produce a Convening Order and Terms of Reference
(TORs) for a BOI within 48 hours (as the current timeline required). TORs were
often dependent on Service Police or LAIT reports, which could take “several
months” to produce.
It was not possible to “staff” a BOI report (secure comments from advisers and
senior officers) within six weeks.
142.  AM Pocock advised that underlying those problems was a resource issue.
The Army was currently required to convene up to 20 BOIs a month (compared with
one or two for the Royal Navy and RAF). It took time to identify and nominate suitable
experienced and available Presidents, to confirm the Terms of Reference, and for
officers to consider a BOI report.
143.  AM Pocock closed his advice:
“Delays in completing BOIs have been linked in the media to delays in Coroners’
inquests. Some families ... have also been critical of the time it takes to complete
BOIs. It is, however, unlikely that extending the BOI timeline will attract significant
media coverage.”
144.  In an annex to his minute, AM Pocock analysed the reasons for delays in
completing BOIs. It concluded that progress had been made since 2004 but that,
88  Minute DCDS(Pers) to PS/SofS [MOD], 17 August 2006, ‘BOI Timelines – A Proposal for Extension’.
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