HL Deb 07 September 2004 vol 664 cc70-1WS
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean)

My honourable friend the Minister for Europe (Mr Denis MacShane) answered PQs 180074 and 180090 on 28 June (Official Report, Commons, cols. 129 W and 131 W respectively). Both PQs related to the Middle East peace process. The Questions and Answers given were as follows:

PQ 180074: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate his department has made of the number of Israeli civilians killed since the beginning of the intifada in September 2000; and how many were under the age of 18. Mr. MacShane: We estimate that 944 Israeli civilians have been killed since the beginning of the intifada in September 2000. This estimate is based on a variety of sources, including the UN, NGOs and the media. We do not hold figures for those killed under the age of 18 years.

PQ 180090: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate his department has made of the number of Palestinian civilians killed since September 2000; and how many were under 18. Mr. MacShane: We estimate that 3,242 Palestinian civilians have been killed since the beginning of the intifada in September 2000. This estimate is based on a variety of sources, including the UN, NGOs and the media. We do not hold figures for those killed under the age of 18 years.

Since answering PQs 180074 and 180090 however, it has been brought to our attention by the British Embassy in Tel Aviv that the figures provided in these answers on 28 June were inaccurate. The figures given were for total deaths on each side rather than civilian deaths, so these figures would also include Israeli Defence Force soldiers, militants and suicide bombers as well as civilians.

I apologise for this error and would like to clarify that the figures initially given in the Answer of 28 June were for the total numbers of Israeli and Palestinian deaths rather than just civilian deaths. Figures for civilian deaths are not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.