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10.3  |  Reconstruction: oil, commercial interests, debt relief, asylum and stabilisation policy
the spread of best practice, capacity building and burden sharing; and, secondly, to
plan and direct activities to create stability in post-conflict environments in the period
immediately following the cessation of hostilities.
“The PCRU is nearly fully staffed and has reached an initial capacity to plan for, and
support, stabilisation activities. The Unit is building up a database of civilian experts
who can be deployed. It is also developing methods to help the Government reach
an understanding of, and plan responses to, individual conflicts. In addition the Unit
is writing a series of guidance papers on a range of specific issues that may need to
be tackled in post-conflict situations, such as security sector reform and governance.
The PCRU is also developing links with international organisations and other
Governments to ensure that the UK’s efforts are part of a co-ordinated contribution
to the international response to conflict. I expect the PCRU to be able, if necessary,
to plan and organise a large-scale deployment of up to several hundred civilians,
including police, as part of a post-conflict stabilisation operation by mid-2006.”586
928.  In his valedictory report on leaving the PCRU in December 2005, Mr Schulte
described it as “the most sophisticated and integrated arrangement we know of”,
presenting “a significant opportunity to influence international – and particularly
American and EU – thinking and practice”.587 But there had been difficulties, including
finding people with the right experience and skills who were willing to join an unproven
organisation and could be released quickly from their current jobs. There had also been
“departmental sensitivities over responsibilities and boundaries”.
929.  Mr Schulte concluded:
“… senior support will remain crucial for some time to ensure successful PCRU
involvement in cross-Whitehall work. The Unit relies critically upon the development
of coherent and effective cross-departmental working relationships. But they all
impose costs and demands on the staff time of others. We have learned that it is
sometimes difficult to persuade colleagues to take this on without direction from
within their own organisations.”
930.  A second internal review of the PCRU was carried out at the request of PCRU
Directors in January and February 2006.588 Directors agreed the recommendation for
a new statement of the PCRU’s role to reflect the experience of its first year:
“… to provide HMG and its partners with integrated assessment and planning, and
operational expertise, to deliver more effective stabilisation operations.”589
586 House of Commons, Official Report, 21 July 2005, column 155WS.
587 Minute Schulte to Drummond, 19 December 2005, ‘Valedictory Note’.
588 Paper PCRU, March 2006, ‘PCRU Internal Review – Key Findings’.
589 Paper PCRU, July 2006, ‘Principles for determining where PCRU deploy, what it funds and for
how long’.
513
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