Dear Mr Turner,

Thank you for your letter of 8 April regarding the quality of the casualty statistics produced by the Gaza Ministry of Health, related to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.

I have today written to Sir Michael Ellis MP and Andrew Percy MP about the use of these statistics in Parliament and urged Ministers, Shadow Ministers and other Parliamentarians to give the source of any numbers they quote.

As I note in the letter, it is beyond our remit to assess the accuracy of casualty statistics in an overseas conflict. Even if it were within our remit to attempt this, it would be beyond our capability to do so.

Yours sincerely,
Sir Robert Chote
Chair

 

Related links

Sir Michael Ellis MP and Andrew Percy MP to Sir Robert Chote – Gaza statistics
Letter from Sir Robert Chote to Sir Michael Ellis MP and Andrew Percy MP – Gaza statistics