Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if the Government will make an assessment of the implications for his Department's policies of the Human Rights Watch's findings on the proportionality of the 8 October 2016 airstrike on a funeral in Sanaa by the Saudi-led Coalition.

Saudi Arabia has publicly stated that it is investigating reports of alleged violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL), and that any lessons learned will be acted upon. It is for every party to a conflict to assess the concrete military advantage it is seeking to achieve against other factors, which include any incidental harm to civilians or damage to civilian objects, which would be excessive in relation to that military advantage

The UK welcomes the release by the Coalition's Joint Incidents Assessment Team (JIAT) of the outcome of an initial investigation into reports of an airstrike hitting a funeral hall in the Yemeni capital Sana'a on 8 October. Our consideration of the reports will be used to contribute to our overall view on the approach and attitude of Saudi Arabia to IHL, as part of all the information available to us. This, in turn, informs the risk assessment made against the Consolidated Criteria.

We continue to monitor the situation closely, seeking further information where appropriate. We welcome any further information Non-Government Organisations can provide.