To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last visited Malta; what recent steps he has taken to strengthen United Kingdom economic, commercial, cultural and educational links with Malta; and if he will make a statement. (222248)

My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary regularly meets with his Maltese counterpart at the General Affairs and External Relations Councils, which occur monthly. The last visit by a Foreign Secretary to Malta was by my right hon. Friend the Member for Blackburn (Mr. Straw) in November 2005.

The UK is Malta’s second largest trading partner after Italy (2008 first quarter provisional figures). British business therefore thrives in Malta. Thousands of British tourists visit Malta each year, contributing to Malta’s tourism industry.

British culture features regularly in Malta, spanning a wide spectrum from the Globe Theatre group to Duran Duran. The most recent event was a poetry reading by Douglas Dunn earlier last month.

The UK continues to be the country of choice for Maltese post graduates and since Malta’s entry into the EU the number of Maltese students choosing to do undergraduate degree courses in the UK has been increasing steadily.

We co-operate closely in other fields such as defence, with regular ships visits and training for the armed forces of Malta. A member of the armed forces of Malta is currently receiving training at Dartmouth and another will go to Sandhurst in September.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of relations with Malta; and if he will make a statement. (222249)

We regularly assess our relations with Malta. The relationship between Malta and the UK continues to be strong, based on our shared history and our membership of the EU and the Commonwealth. We have regular engagement with the Maltese through bilateral contacts and international institutions, especially the EU.