MPs to grill top civil servant on why he blocked long-awaited Iraq War report



Cabinet Secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood to be quizzed by select committee

Called to explain why Iraq War report held up by row over secret letters

Spotlight on sensitive correspondence between Tony Blair and George W. Bush



Sir Jeremy was key member of Mr Blair's inner circle in lead up to 2003 war

Interrogation to be carried out by Public Administration Select Committee



Cabinet Secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood, pictured, will be interrogated by the powerful Public Administration Select Committee

Cabinet Secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood will be forced to explain to MPs why the long-awaited report into the Iraq War has been held up by a row over secret letters between Tony Blair and George W. Bush.



Sir Jeremy, a key member of Mr Blair’s inner circle during the build-up to the 2003 conflict, will be interrogated by the powerful Public Administration Select Committee (PASC) about his role in blocking the release of the sensitive correspondence.



Sir John Chilcot, the chairman of the Iraq inquiry, wants to release the Blair letters, but has run into fierce opposition from Sir Jeremy, the country’s most senior civil servant.



He has argued privately that high-level exchanges should remain classified to protect the ‘machinery of government’.



Sir John says his report cannot be finished until the row is resolved.



The move follows The Mail on Sunday’s disclosure last week that David Cameron had called for an end to hold-ups in the Chilcot process amid claims that Mr Blair and Labour hope to delay it until after next year’s General Election to limit damage to the party’s reputation.



The Prime Minister’s stance has clear public support: according to a Survation survey for The Mail on Sunday, 70 per cent of voters agree that the inquiry should publish the letters between Mr Blair and Mr Bush, compared with 13 per cent who think they should remain secret.



The poll also found that 58 per cent think it is important that the report is published as soon as possible.

Now committee chairman Bernard Jenkin has written to Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude as he ‘is concerned about the length of time the Inquiry is taking to report’.



He asked Mr Maude to outline the ‘steps you are taking to overcome the barriers to publication’.



Sources on the PASC said that Sir Jeremy would face a grilling over the issue when he makes a pre-arranged appearance before the committee next month.



Cabinet Secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood will be forced to explain to MPs why the long-awaited report into the Iraq War has been held up by a row over secret letters between former Prime Minister Tony Blair, right, and former US President George W. Bush, left

He was Principal Private Secretary to Mr Blair during the run-up to the war, and the only civil servant invited to join the so-called ‘sofa government’ at No 10, when major decisions were taken by a Blair-led coterie which also included his top aides Alastair Campbell and Jonathan Powell.

The inquiry wants to release 25 notes sent from Mr Blair to Mr Bush in advance of the US-led invasion, in addition to more than 130 records of conversations between either Mr Blair and Mr Bush, or Gordon Brown and Mr Bush, and information relating to 200 Cabinet discussions.



Sir John, who has seen the material, has made clear to Mr Cameron that without a decision on its publication he cannot start the process of giving those individuals who face criticism in his report - which could include the Mr Blair – the chance to respond.



A Cabinet Office spokesman said officials had had a constructive dialogue with the inquiry team over declassification during recent months and added that the process should be concluded shortly.

