A Commons select committee has attacked the Foreign Office for its handling of events in the Balkans.

MPs on the foreign affairs select committee have rebuked troubled minister for Europe, Keith Vaz, for failing to display "a detailed grasp of the policy area issues" faced in the Balkans - an area covered by his responsibilities.

The MPs widened their criticism to include foreign secretary, Robin Cook, saying that it was "deeply regrettable" that the only British minister to have visited Serbia since the fall of Milosevic in October was Richard Caborn - a junior trade minister.

The committee expressed its concern at "inadequate" Foreign Office oversight of an area where British forces were committed and one with "great relevance to the future stability of Europe".