To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has recently made to the Israeli Government concerning the continued closure of Bir Zeit university.

On 6 January our ambassador in Tel Aviv, together with his EC colleagues, made strong representations to the Israeli Foreign Minister about the decision to extend the closure order on Bir Zeit university. We shall continue to do all we can to persuade the Israelis to allow all academic institutions in the occupied territories to function freely.