To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 23 March 1998, Official Report, column 31, what was the purpose of the meeting of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Baroness Symons, with the Ambassador of Israel on 18 March; and if he will make a statement on the meeting. [36734]

The meeting between my noble Friend Baroness Symons and Ambassador Zeigerman was a long-standing engagement. They discussed the Middle East Peace Process and bilateral relations.