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Written question asked by Mike Hancock (Liberal Democrat) on Wednesday, 28 February 2007, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Friday, 2 March 2007. It was answered by Adam Ingram (Labour) on Monday, 16 April 2007 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

Iraq: Peace Keeping Operations

Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 2 February 2007, Official Report, column 963W, on urgent operational requirements, how many urgent statements of user requirement were (a) raised, (b) endorsed, (c) not endorsed and (d) progressed as an urgent operational requirement in (i) Iraq and (ii) Afghanistan in each of the last four years; what records are kept of urgent statements of user requirement, and by whom; how many urgent statements of user requirement were (A) proposed and (B) raised and subsequently withdrawn in theatre of operations in each of the last four years; and whether withdrawn statements are recorded.
Answer

It is not possible to give a comprehensive number of the total urgent statements of user requirement (USURs) raised or rejected as this is not recorded centrally. Suggestions are regularly put forward by troops on the ground and progressed up the chain of command, some of which will be progressed as USURs, but many can be met with equipment already available so there is no requirement to progress further. Those which do not progress beyond initial discussions and staffing are not routinely recorded.It is rare that a USUR be rejected once it leaves theatre, as the level of staffing will normally have ironed out any issues before it is forwarded. There are occasions when staff at the Permanent Joint Headquarters (PJHQ) will return a USUR for further work prior to its approval, but this does not amount to a rejection, as in most cases it will subsequently be accepted.Information on the number of USURs endorsed by the chain of command for Afghanistan is only held centrally from 2005-06. Information for both theatres for 2006-07 includes USURs endorsed up to 5 March 2007. The following table gives figures for the number of USURs endorsed by PJHQ, the last stage of approval in the chain of command prior to them being issued an Urgent Operational Requirement (UOR) number and becoming a UOR. The figures therefore equate to the number progressed as UORs.

Financial year Number of USURs endorsed by the chain of command for Iraq to nearest 10 Number of USURs endorsed by the chain of command for Afghanistan to nearest 10
2003-04 50 —
2004-05 80 —
2005-06 80 90
2006-07 to 2005 (March) 150 220

Requests by lower echelon commanders are staffed through the in-theatre chain of command, with both the unit and the brigade in theatre keeping relevant records.In the Land environment, if the requirement is for a new item of equipment or for more equipment, where insufficient stocks are held on the inventory for the current operations, the request is forwarded to the Divisional Equipment Capability (EC) Cell for further staffing. The Divisional EC Cell constructs an USUR in consultation with the originator to ensure that the exact requirement is captured and submits it to the Permanent Joint Headquarters (PJHQ). Records of the USURs are held in the EC Cells in the appropriate theatre.Royal Navy and Royal Air Force requirements are staffed up the appropriate chain of command, with USURs then submitted to PJHQ in a similar way. If PJHQ endorses the requirement, the USUR is passed to MOD Centre for action. Records of endorsed USURs are held in PJHQ and MOD Centre.As stated above it is not possible to give a figure for numbers of USURs proposed, or raised and subsequently withdrawn.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
459 c154-6W; 125152
Session
2006-07
Subjects
Iraq Peacekeeping operations Afghanistan
Link
View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk