My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.

My Lords, as my noble friend knows, there has been some welcome progress in this case recently. We greatly look forward to an early and satisfactory settlement.

My Lords, I thank my noble friend very much for that Answer, which is much more satisfactory than it might have been a fortnight ago. Would it be possible for him to elaborate just a little more?

My Lords, I believe my noble friend is aware of the progress to which I referred. There has been a development with regard to the Appeal Court in France, which has indicated that liability does indeed lie with the French personnel involved. That being so, I can only hope now for a satisfactory outcome, as I said in the original Answer.

My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that we are very grateful to the noble Earl for bringing the details of this horrendous case to the attention of the House and that we share his concern about the long delay? Is he also aware that the whole House would wish to see a satisfactory settlement to what has been a very sad and very long-lasting case?

My Lords, I entirely agree that it has been a long and sad case. That is why it has attracted so much ministerial attention. Indeed, it was rather more than two years ago that my right honourable friend the then Minister of Foreign Affairs and I called the French ambassador to discuss the matter. Since then, it has been taken forward with ministerial support.

My Lords, can my noble friend report on any explanations given by the French authorities concerning the intolerable delay?

My Lords, the delay to which my noble friend refers has been the result of the workings of the French legal system. Our own legal system is sometimes not above criticism as regards the time which is taken to reach conclusions. Therefore, I am not sure that it would be entirely appropriate for me to criticise another country's legal system.