Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the (a) political and (b) human rights situation for people in the (i) opposition and (ii) media in Tunisia on UK-Tunisia relations.

We monitor the political and human rights situation in Tunisia closely. The UK has made our views clear, calling for space for legitimate political opposition, civil society and independent media in light of recent developments including most recently during the meeting of Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister of State for North Africa, with the Tunisian Chargé d'Affaires on 23 February. The UK is a constructive partner to Tunisia, and we will continue to raise these important issues with the Tunisian authorities at every available opportunity.