Recommendation BAHA-19: JDP 1-10 Redraft Clarity
From The Report of the Baha Mousa Inquiry - Volume III, published 8 September 2011.
Recommendation
In the current redrafting of JDP 1-10 and in future subordinate doctrine and instructions regarding CPERS:
(1) plain English, simplicity of structure and brevity should be given greater priority while allowing for the target audience and complexity of the subject matter;
(2) the wording should be thoroughly assessed to ensure (a) that material is not unnecessarily duplicated and (b) that the wording and diagrams are clear and readily understandable to the commander who may need to consider and apply the guidance on the ground; and
(3) timescales must be stated clearly both in the text and in flow diagrams. Timescales in relation to CPERS handling should be demanding as this encourages the rapid move of CPERS away from forward detention areas where risks of abuse are greatest. The next redraft of JDP 1-10 needs to make clear that the stated timescales should be adhered to whenever possible, but may need to be amended in some theatres.
In brief (written by this site)
The Inquiry asked the Ministry of Defence to simplify doctrine on handling captured persons. In March 2014, Mark Francois, Minister for the Armed Forces, announced in a written statement that the department had "taken action to consider and address all the accepted recommendations in the report" (Mr Mark Francois, Mar 2014). This followed a statement to the House of Commons in September 2011 by Liam Fox, Secretary of State for Defence, who confirmed that he accepted in principle all recommendations with one reservation (Dr Liam Fox response, Sep 2011).
AI-generated summary of the record on this page, checked by a second model and automatic checks, 12 Oct 2026. The record below is the sources' own words.
Government response
I can inform this House that I am accepting in principle all of his recommendations with one reservation.
How this response relates to the recommendation
Site note: The words are the Secretary of State for Defence's statement to the House of Commons of 8 September 2011 as the Ministry of Defence published it on GOV.UK, which is the page the site cites. The Official Report of the statement as delivered (HC Deb vol 532, col 571) differs slightly in wording: it reads "I can inform the House that I am accepting in principle all his recommendations with one reservation."
Blanket government agreement does not establish acceptance or delivery by each addressee. Some response passages cover groups of recommendations.
Scope of the government response
The Secretary of State for Defence accepted all of the report's 73 recommendations in principle together, in one sentence of his statement to the House of Commons on 8 September 2011, with one reservation: the recommendation on tactical questioning (BAHA-23), which he said he could not accept. That sentence is not a response to any one recommendation alone, and the Ministry of Defence published no response to each recommendation. A written ministerial statement of 27 March 2014 said the Ministry of Defence had taken action to consider and address all the accepted recommendations, and said of recommendation 44 that the existing inspection regime did not require further amendment.
Delivery
Ministry of Defence says completed (27 March 2014)
I am pleased to announce that the Ministry of Defence has now taken action to consider and address all the accepted recommendations in the report.
From: Baha Mousa Report, Mr Mark Francois, Minister for the Armed Forces
Source
Responsible bodies
Themes and tags
Who has spoken
- Ministry of Defence
Response, delivery statement