Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Brazilian counterpart on democracy and freedom of expression in that country.

The UK and Brazil have a close dialogue on a number of bilateral and global issues of mutual interest, including freedom of expression and freedom of the press. The Foreign Secretary spoke to Brazil's Foreign Minister on 10 October and expressed his hope that the second round of Brazil's elections, on 30 October, is carried out in a free, fair and peaceful manner. Both Brazil's Supreme Electoral Court and the official observer mission of the Organisation of American States have concluded that Brazil's first round of voting, on 2 October, was carried out peacefully and fairly.