Asked by: Lord Bishop of Coventry (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they intend to take to evaluate the deployment of airpower in heavily populated areas following the liberation of Mosul.
Answered by Earl Howe - Shadow Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
UK airstrikes always follow the principles of international humanitarian law: necessity, proportionality, distinction between combatants and non-combatant civilians, and the prevention of unnecessary suffering. The complex and congested urban environment of Mosul presented particular challenges for those undertaking airstrikes as part of the Coalition support to forces on the ground against Daesh. Our rigorous targeting processes take into account the conditions on the ground, including the potential presence of a civilian population. We undertake a battle damage assessment after every airstrike. This assessment examines all the available records including video, and one of its roles is the identification of any collateral damage, including civilian casualties. If any such assessment indicated anything that should be scrutinised further, a full investigation would be undertaken, with appropriate resources allocated to it. Thus there is no requirement for a further evaluation of the deployment of UK airpower in the campaign against Daesh.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Coventry (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to investigate unintended civilian casualties arising from UK participation in the US led coalition airstrikes to liberate Mosul; and if so, what resources they (1) have committed, and (2) intend to commit, to that investigation.
Answered by Earl Howe - Shadow Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
UK airstrikes always follow the principles of international humanitarian law: necessity, proportionality, distinction between combatants and non-combatant civilians, and the prevention of unnecessary suffering. The complex and congested urban environment of Mosul presented particular challenges for those undertaking airstrikes as part of the Coalition support to forces on the ground against Daesh. Our rigorous targeting processes take into account the conditions on the ground, including the potential presence of a civilian population. We undertake a battle damage assessment after every airstrike. This assessment examines all the available records including video, and one of its roles is the identification of any collateral damage, including civilian casualties. If any such assessment indicated anything that should be scrutinised further, a full investigation would be undertaken, with appropriate resources allocated to it. Thus there is no requirement for a further evaluation of the deployment of UK airpower in the campaign against Daesh.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Coventry (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the number of civilians killed during the liberation of Mosul.
Answered by Earl Howe - Shadow Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
UK airstrikes always follow the principles of international humanitarian law: necessity, proportionality, distinction between combatants and non-combatant civilians, and the prevention of unnecessary suffering. The complex and congested urban environment of Mosul presented particular challenges for those undertaking airstrikes as part of the Coalition support to forces on the ground against Daesh. Our rigorous targeting processes take into account the conditions on the ground, including the potential presence of a civilian population. We undertake a battle damage assessment after every airstrike. This assessment examines all the available records including video, and one of its roles is the identification of any collateral damage, including civilian casualties. If any such assessment indicated anything that should be scrutinised further, a full investigation would be undertaken, with appropriate resources allocated to it. Thus there is no requirement for a further evaluation of the deployment of UK airpower in the campaign against Daesh.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Coventry (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the cost of the UK's participation in the US led coalition air strikes in support of the liberation of Mosul.
Answered by Earl Howe - Shadow Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
The net additional costs of counter-Daesh operations are as follows:
| 2014-15 | 2015-16 | 2016-17 |
Total (£ million) | 47.2 | 262.4 | 469.4 |
Net additional costs are those costs that the Ministry of Defence would not otherwise have incurred but for the operations.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Coventry (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to the suspension of military assistance, including training, for the Burmese army.
Answered by Earl Howe - Shadow Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
In light of the ongoing violence in Burma's Rakhine State and the growing humanitarian crisis it has caused, the UK Ministry of Defence has decided to suspend all training and educational courses provided to the Burmese military with immediate effect.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Coventry (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the projected financial cost for this financial year of UK air strikes against Daesh in Syria.
Answered by Earl Howe - Shadow Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
It is not possible to separate out the costs of military action in Syria from that of wider counter-Daesh operations, due to the inter-related nature of UK military activity. Based on current levels of activity, the net additional cost of increased UK activity in Syria is not expected to rise above the low tens of millions of pounds.