The Report
of the Iraq Inquiry
6. Took
note that the Chancellor of the Exchequer [or Treasury]
would…
7. Took
note.
8. Took
note, with approval, of the Prime Minister’s [Chair’s] summing
up
of their
discussions [and invited the Ministers concerned to
proceed
accordingly].”
144.
In June 2002,
officials began to discuss changes to the Government’s
machinery
for Iraq
policy and planning.
145.
Recommendations
to improve Whitehall co-ordination at official and
Ministerial
level were
put to Mr Blair in mid-September.
146.
Mr Tom McKane,
Deputy Head of OD Sec, sent Sir David Manning a note
on
possible
machinery “for managing Iraq” on 2 September.91
He recalled
that he and
Sir David
had already agreed that, “following the pattern of Afghanistan”,
there should
be two
groups of officials: an “inner group” chaired by Sir David (or Mr
Desmond Bowen
who would
shortly be taking over from Mr McKane) and a more junior “wider
group”,
chaired by
Mr Bowen or Mr Drummond.
147.
Mr McKane
proposed that the inner group “should begin work once you [Sir
David
Manning]
decide that the time is right”. It would comprise the Chair of the
JIC or Chief of
the
Assessments Staff, the FCO Middle East Director, the DCDS(C) and/or
Mr Ian Lee
(MOD
Director General Operational Policy), and representatives of all
three Intelligence
Agencies
and the Home Office. Mr McKane asked whether it should also include
the
Defence
Intelligence Staff (DIS) and a No.10 information specialist. He
proposed that the
wider group
“should meet periodically from now on and, inter alia, address the
issues set
out in Jim
Drummond’s minute of 30 August”.
148.
Mr McKane
wrote that “we also need to consider the composition of a
Ministerial
Group”. He
recommended the creation of a separate Ad Hoc Sub-Committee
of
DOP,
chaired by the Prime Minister, with the participation of the
Foreign and Defence
Secretaries
and the Intelligence Chiefs. DOP “could meet less frequently and be
the
means of
formalising decisions”. Mr McKane also suggested that Lord
Goldsmith, the
Attorney
General, be invited “to be in attendance at both these groups, as
required” and
Mr Robin
Cook, the Leader of the House, “be invited to attend
DOP”.
149.
Sir David
Manning put the proposals to Mr Blair on 12
September.92
At official
level,
Sir David
recommended that he or Mr Bowen should chair an inner group, to
include
the JIC,
the FCO, the MOD, SIS, the Security Service, GCHQ, the Home Office
and
Sir David
Omand, the Cabinet Office Permanent Secretary.
91
Minute
McKane to Manning, 2 September 2002, ‘Iraq’.
92
Minute
Manning to Prime Minister, 12 September 2002, ‘Iraq’.
290