Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications of the Turkish Government's decision to hold parliamentary and presidential elections under a state of emergency for the prospects of such elections being held in a free, fair and transparent manner; and what recent representations he has made to his counterpart in Turkey on that issue.

We have frequently raised with the Turkish Government our desire to see the State of Emergency lifted as soon as possible. We are aware of the concerns expressed by the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly and others about holding elections under a State of Emergency. We will continue to urge the Turkish Government to conduct elections in a manner that respects the rule of law and protects fundamental freedoms in line with its international commitments.