Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many officials of his Department have responsibility for investigating reports of civilian casualties as a result of UK airstrikes in Iraq and Syria.

Expert analysts routinely examine data from every UK strike to assess its effect, with one of their priorities being to highlight any possible indications of civilian casualties or collateral damage. Any information on potential civilian casualties reported to the Ministry of Defence (MOD) by external parties is considered by staff in the MOD and the Permanent Joint Headquarters drawing on a wider cohort of expertise across the Department. The number of staff responsible and involved will vary depending on the circumstances of each case.