Diego Garcia Military Base

Ben Obese-Jecty Excerpts

Thursday 22nd May 2025 Commons Chamber

[John Healey]

It is definitely a good investment for this country. It helps protect our security at home. It helps strengthen our forces abroad. It helps reinforce that very special security relationship that we have with our closest ally, the United States.

[Ben Obese-Jecty (Huntingdon) (Con)]

I hope the Defence Secretary is fully across the detail here. Annex 1, paragraph 3, sub-paragraph c states:

“Mauritius and the United Kingdom shall jointly decide upon the management and use of the electromagnetic spectrum”

in the Chagos Archipelago beyond Diego Garcia. Given that Diego Garcia shall be represented by Mauritius at the International Telecommunication Union—as per Letter No.1 on 22 May 2025—how will control and management of the electromagnetic spectrum be reflected as per annex 1, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph b, clause iv? And given the threat posed by Chinese influence in the Indo-Pacific and the level of Chinese development finance investment in Mauritius, what assessment have the Government made of future lack of co-operation from Mauritius on access to said electromagnetic spectrum?

[John Healey]

I will have a word with my right hon. Friend, the Chief Whip, and just let him know that the hon. Gentleman has made an early bid for membership of the Bill Committee.