The Report
of the Iraq Inquiry
223.
On
4 October, Mr Williams advised Mr Hoon that the MOD
had reached agreement
with the
Treasury on the UOR arrangements.104
Work was
“in hand” to prioritise the list
of UORs,
and to produce business cases for a range of “showstopper” UORs. He
sought
Mr Hoon’s
agreement for work to “now begin” on a wider range of UORs,
“including
discreet
consultation with industry”, and for resources to be committed as
business
cases were
approved.
224.
Mr Williams
explained that Ministers were “not normally invited to
approve
individual
UORs” unless project costs exceeded £400m; all UORs in this
instance would
cost less
than £100m and fall “well within” the approval authority delegated
to one-star
officials.105
Officials
would, however, consult Mr Hoon separately where UORs could
not
be covered
by the ambiguity of operations in Afghanistan, and on the four
items where
Mr Hoon
had requested further advice in his 17 September
note.
225.
Mr Hoon’s
Assistant Private Secretary wrote a summary of the points on
the
minute,
stating: “I believe this is now practical and appropriate.
OK?”106
226.
Mr Hoon
replied: “I would like to see all of them first.”107
227.
Mr Hoon’s
Private Office replied to Mr Williams on
7 October:
“Before
agreeing to the implementation process described in your minute
…
Mr Hoon
wishes to see the UOR priority lists following consideration by the
Chiefs
228.
As work on
UORs progressed, the capability shortfalls identified
by
Dr Cholerton
on 13 September proved problematic.
229.
On
8 October, Lt Gen Pigott prepared an update on the
progress of UORs for the
Chiefs of
Staff to consider the following day.109
It
separated UORs into two tranches:
•
Tranche 1
to “be implemented forthwith”, funded from the first £150m agreed
by
the
Treasury; and
•
Tranche 2,
which would “continue to be updated”.
230.
Lt Gen
Pigott explained that the prioritisation had been governed
by:
•
“the need
to provide individual and force protection”;
104
Minute DCRS
to APS/SofS [MOD], 4 October 2002, ‘Iraq: UORs –
Update’.
105
Brigadier
or equivalent in the Armed Forces and Senior Civil Servant Level 1
for civilians.
106
Manuscript
comment MOD [junior official] on Minute DCRS to APS/SofS [MOD],
4 October 2002,
‘Iraq: UORs
– Update’.
107
Manuscript
comment Hoon on Minute DCRS to APS/SofS [MOD], 4 October 2002,
‘Iraq: UORs –
Update’.
108
Minute
APS/Secretary of State [MOD] to DCRS, 7 October 2002, ‘Iraq:
UORs – Update’.
109
Minute
DCDS(C) to PSO/CDS, 8 October 2002, ‘Iraq Contingency Planning
– Urgent Operational
Requirements’.
34