6.3 |
Military equipment (pre-conflict)
161.
Mr Watkins
replied on 31 July, explaining that Mr Hoon had decided
“it would be
premature
to widen the net of knowledge”; and that:
“… no costs
should be incurred on UORs and sustainability enhancements for
the
purposes of
a campaign in Iraq … No estimates should be submitted to
Treasury
162.
Mr Bowen
wrote to Mr Watkins on 1 August, acknowledging
Mr Hoon’s clear
directions
but pressing “urgently” to take forward work on
antitoxin71
by widening
the
MOD
planning circle.72
Antitoxin
was identified as an “essential” element in all three
packages
under consideration, “about whose potential availability we do not
know nearly
enough at
present”. Mr Bowen wrote:
“In the
event of any deployment, the proper preparations to enable British
Forces
to deal
with the possible biological and chemical release would be
essential … It
seems
likely that decisions on the acquisition of antitoxin, when they
come to be
made, will
be on the critical path for the deployment of a war fighting
capability.”
163.
Mr Bowen
recommended “strongly” that Mr Hoon should agree that “on a
very
limited,
need-to-know basis further staffing should be conducted with the
inclusion of
nominated
NBC and Porton Down73
staff”.
164.
Mr Adam
Ingram, Minister for the Armed Forces, responded on 7 August
that,
“exceptionally”,
staffing could be widened “on a strict need to know basis”,
including
NBC and
Porton Down staff as requested.74
165.
The MOD had
defined essential equipment needed “now” for potential
operations
in Iraq as “showstoppers”. That became the benchmark
for
determining
whether the unavailability of an item should halt the
deployment
of UK
forces.
166.
On
9 August, Lt Gen Pigott published lists of individuals
within the MOD (the
“Centurion”
group) and PJHQ (the “Warrior” group) who were authorised to
receive
“the most
sensitive material relating to US planning and UK scoping on Iraq”
during the
summer.75
That is
described in Section 6.1.
70
Minute
PS/SofS [MOD] to Sec(O)1a, 31 July 2002, ‘Iraq – Enhancements
Required For Potential
UK Contribution’.
71 An
antibody with the ability to neutralise a particular toxin; used as
a countermeasure in the event
of chemical
or biological attack.
72
Minute DG
Op Pol to PS/SofS [MOD], 1 August 2002, ‘Iraq – Enhancements
Required For Possible
UK Contribution’.
73
The
headquarters for the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory
(DSTL).
74
Minute
PS/Min(AF) to DG Op Pol, 7 August 2002, ‘Iraq – Enhancements
For Possible UK
Contribution – Antitoxin’.
75
Minute
MA2/DCDS(C), 9 August 2002, ‘Centurion Group’.
25