Iraq Inquiry

The Iraq Inquiry, chaired by Sir John Chilcot, was established in 2009 to examine the UK's involvement in Iraq from 2001 to 2009. The inquiry's report, published in July 2016, identified eight key lessons rather than formal recommendations, focusing on decision-making processes, intelligence assessment, legal advice, military planning, and post-conflict preparation.

The government accepted seven of the eight lessons and accepted one in principle. According to government responses, several institutional changes were introduced. The Chilcot Checklist was developed as a practical framework for policy-making and integrated into departmental training. The fusion doctrine was launched to improve Cabinet-level coordination on cross-cutting issues, with the National Security Council providing senior-level oversight. The Ministry of Defence developed The Good Operation handbook and immersive decision-making scenarios to strengthen military planning processes.

Government responses indicate that intelligence processes were reformed, with the Joint Intelligence Committee strengthening procedures to communicate uncertainties more clearly. The role of FCO Legal Advisors was reportedly enhanced to ensure international law considerations are central to decisions on military action. The FCDO's Diplomacy 20:20 programme incorporated lessons about maintaining independent policy analysis when working with allies.

The Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee (PACAC) reviewed progress in 2018, approximately 18 months after the report's publication. Based on this review and departmental programmes, seven lessons were recorded as completed and one as partially delivered. The partially delivered lesson related to the fusion doctrine for collective Cabinet engagement.

The government committed to maintaining defence spending at 2% of GDP in line with NATO requirements and established regular strategic defence and security reviews. The Armed Forces Covenant was enshrined in law, though the specific legislative vehicle is not identified in the available evidence.

While government responses and the PACAC review provide evidence of institutional changes and new processes, the available documentation does not include independent verification of how these changes operate in practice or their effectiveness in preventing similar issues.