2 |
Decision-making within government
International
Development Secretary), Dr John Reid (Minister without
Portfolio),103
and
Mr Geoff
Hoon (the Defence Secretary).
170.
From 20 March,
Lord Goldsmith, the Attorney General, attended almost
every
meeting and
Mrs Margaret Beckett, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food
and
Rural
Affairs, was a regular attendee from 25 March.
171.
Adm Boyce, C
and Mr Scarlett attended the meeting to advise on the
progress
of the
military campaign and the intelligence picture.
172.
The Cabinet
Office circulated a record of the discussion.
173.
Mr Rycroft
advised Mr Blair on 19 March that there would be a standard
agenda
each day
for the meeting, issued by the Cabinet Office, along with an update
of key
events
which they would prepare each evening.104
No.10 would
provide Mr Blair with
“a short
note of specific points to cover each day”. Mr Rycroft also advised
that:
“As this is
a large group, we shall have to see in a couple of days whether it
is
practicable or whether
we shall need a small group as well.”
174.
In a minute to
Mr Powell dated 30 March, Mr Blair requested a change to his
daily
rhythm,
stating:
“I need a
longer private meeting with CDS, Geoff Hoon etc.
“So I
suggest we make that: 8.30am. The War Cabinet at 9.00am. The
political
meeting at
9.30am. This should … include media handling.”105
175.
Mr Blair also
set out his ideas for a communications strategy and asked for
“more
overt work
on the guarantees to the Iraqi people”.
176.
The Joint
Intelligence Committee (JIC) is a cross-Government Committee
created
in 1936,
which has been part of the Cabinet Office since 1957.
177.
The JIC was
(and remains) responsible for:
“…
providing Ministers and senior officials with co-ordinated
intelligence
assessments
on a range of issues of immediate and long-range importance
to
national
interests, primarily in the fields of security, defence and foreign
affairs.”106
103
From 5
April 2003, Dr Reid’s role changed to President of the Council and
Leader of the House
of Commons.
104
Minute
Rycroft to Prime Minister, 19 March 2003, ‘Iraq: 0830 Ministerial
Meeting”.
105
Minute
Blair to Powell, 30 March 2003, ‘Note’.
106
Cabinet
Office, National
Intelligence Machinery, November
2010, pages 23-24.
295