Fresh Criticism for Inquiry Into Iraq War

Former foreign secretary Lord Hurd of Westwell has hit out at delays in publishing the official report into the Iraq war - warning it was becoming a scandal.

The Tory peer said publication of the long-delayed Chilcot inquiry report had "dragged on" beyond "forgivable delay" and urged ministers to ensure people were given the truth.

But Cabinet Office spokesman Lord Wallace of Saltaire said the inquiry was completely independent of government and it was up to Sir John Chilcot to decide when to submit the report to the Prime Minister.

"I continue to hope that its conclusions will shortly be available for all to see," he told peers at question time, amid growing concern about whether the report will be published before the election.

Lord Wallace indicated that if it was not published before the end of February, it could be held back until after the general election to allow full debate on its findings.

To cheers of support, Liberal Democrat Lord Dykes branded the continuing delay an "utter and total disgrace".

He said: "More and more people think it is some kind of attempt to prolong the agony for Mr Blair facing possible war crimes charges."

Lord Wallace told him: "We all regret the delay. But this is not unusual for inquiries of this sort."

Detailing other long-running inquiries, he said the Chilcot probe looked at nine years of British policy and operations in Iraq, so it was not entirely unexpected that it had taken such a long time.

Lord Hurd said: "This has dragged on beyond questions of mere negligence and forgivable delay. It is becoming a scandal.

"This is not something of trivial importance. It is something of which a large number of people in this country look anxiously for truth.

"And isn't it time the Government exerted itself to make sure their reasonable demand is met?"

Lord Wallace said: "We all regret the amount of time it has taken. It is, however, an independent inquiry.

"The Government will receive the report. The one decision the Government will then take is when the report can be published."

Labour former attorney general Lord Morris of Aberavon said ex-prime minister Gordon Brown, in setting up the inquiry, had made a "sweeping statement" that all British documents except those involving the most sensitive national security would be made available.

He asked if this pledge had been breached and demanded a clear indication as to who was responsible for "apparently kicking publication into touch" until after the election.

Lord Wallace said all documentation had been made available to the inquiry but there had been subsequent discussion as to how many documents should be published.

"That process, I understand, is now also complete. The report when it comes out will contain over one million words and will publish substantial documentation from over 200 Cabinet meetings. That is all agreed and under way."

Lord Wallace said the Prime Minister had not intervened at any point over publication and he hoped the process was now "close to the finishing line".

He said the Government had decided it would be "inappropriate" to publish the report before the election, if it was submitted after the end of February, because of the commitment to time for "substantial consultation and debate".

The Government has "committed that if this is not available for publication by the end of February, it will be held back until after the election".