Malta

Derek Wyatt
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what aid and assistance she has provided to the Foulkes family in the Sittingbourne and Sheppey constituency in relation to the return of property left in Malta following the death of a member of the family in that country.

Mr. Hoon
I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to him on 10 January, Official Report, column 588W. At the request of the Foulkes family, consular officials have liaised with the Maltese authorities to obtain and return personal items that belonged to Mr. Foulkes. The police authorities withheld some items of a technical nature to assist with their investigation. Once these are released we will seek to return them to the Foulkes family as soon as we are able.