To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will hold discussions with the Government of Egypt over the independence of the judiciary in that country. (187246)

We regularly raise a range of rule of law and human rights issues with the Egyptian Government both bilaterally and with EU partners.

There are no plans for my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary to hold discussions on the specific subject of independence of the judiciary with the Egyptian Government. However, we look forward to this being discussed in the context of the political sub-committee established under the European Neighbourhood Policy Action Plan.