Wreckage from Flight 103

Trio Claim Lockerbie Progress

He was accompanied on his trip by the former Tory MP, Sir Cyril Townsend, and Dr Jim Swire, spokesman of the British Flight 103 Families Group, whose daughter was among the 270 people who died in the explosion.

All three have previously travelled to Libya to discuss the impasse over the two suspects. Libya has refused to release them for trial except to a court in Scotland, a "neutral" country, or a court in a Muslim state.

Lord Steel said: "We feel that some progress has been made in bringing the two accused to trial." However he did not wish to discuss details of the visit or make further comment because of the sensitive nature of the issue.

Dr Swire told BBC Radio's The World Tonight that he felt the meetings the group had held in Libya had been "helpful". He also declined to give details: "Any suggestion as to how this visit might release the deadlock could only come from Lord Steel himself in due course."

Dr Jim Swire talking on The World Tonight

Dr Swire bemoaned the "remarkable reluctance" of the US and UK authorities to facilitate a trial of the two men suspected of the 1988 bombing under the compromise offered by the Libyans. But he hoped the new Labour Government would be more amenable than the previous Conservative administration.