Chagossians: Trust Fund and Resettlement Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
Ben Obese-Jecty
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Chagossians: Trust Fund and Resettlement
Ben Obese-Jecty Excerpts(1 day, 10 hours ago)
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Mr Falconer
As I set out in my response to the shadow Foreign Secretary, the trust fund will have a majority of Chagossians on it and a chair appointed by the Chagossians. The conduct of the trust fund will also be observed by our own high commission.
Ben Obese-Jecty (Huntingdon) (Con)
Last month, after a three-month wait for an answer, the Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry informed me in a written answer that the Government Actuary’s Department’s figure for the cost of the Chagos deal of £34.7 billion is inaccurate. I struggle to believe that the Government Actuary’s Department would have published the figure in error in August. It was widely reported at the time, and the Department has never publicly corrected the figure. Will the Minister confirm that the Government Actuary’s Department figure of £34.7 billion over the length of the deal is correct and that the Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry is misinformed?
Mr Falconer
I will have to consult the Ministry of Defence to be sure where the error is. My understanding is that all costs have been verified by the Government Actuary’s Department, and I cannot provide any further clarification.