To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make an assessment of the likely effect on the Middle East peace process of the release of kidnapped Israeli soldier Corporal Shalit. (276494)

We judge that Corporal Shalit's release would prove to be a positive step for the Middle East Peace Process.

The UK continues to call for the immediate, unconditional and safe release of Gilad Shalit. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary reiterated this most recently in his statement to the UN Security Council on 11 May 2009. We have also shown our support to Corporal Shalit's family by meeting his parents on several occasions.