---

Court Martial Judgment

My Lords, I endorse wholeheartedly the sentiments of the Minister regarding the extremely difficult role of our Armed Forces in Iraq. First, at what level was the decision to prosecute taken? Secondly, was my noble and learned friend the Attorney-General consulted or at least kept informed? Did he have the opportunity to examine not only the quantity of evidence but also, more importantly, its quality? Much of it turned out to be quite appalling. Thirdly, is the heart of the matter the questionable quality of the investigative process by the military and the advice that it gave on witnesses, making all proper allowances for the difficult operation that it had to conduct? Is the Minister and his colleague in the other place a little too complacent? If the Ministry of Defence is right that all was done properly, why did things go wrong at such appalling expense?