Asked by: Mark Francois (Conservative - Rayleigh and Wickford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department plans to take legislative steps to support the implementation of the Chagos deal.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Section 5 of the Explanatory Memorandum sets out the process for Treaty implementation.
Asked by: Mark Francois (Conservative - Rayleigh and Wickford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to paragraph 8 of Annex 2 of the document entitled UK/Mauritius: Agreement concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia (CS Mauritius No.1/2025), what steps his Department plans to take to ensure investigations by the Government of Mauritius of criminal offences do not compromise classified military operations in Diego Garcia as defined by Article 19 of the Agreement.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Article 3(2) of the treaty clearly states that Mauritius cannot undermine, prejudice or otherwise interfere with the long-term, secure and effective operation of the Base on Diego Garcia, and that Mauritius shall cooperate to that end. This will ensure that military operations are not compromised in any way. Additionally, by ensuring Mauritius has jurisdiction over any future illegal migration, it will close off a dangerous immigration route.
Asked by: Mark Francois (Conservative - Rayleigh and Wickford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to Article 18 of the document entitled UK/Mauritius: Agreement concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia (CS Mauritius No.1/2025), if he will set out the (a) internal requirements and (b) procedures that the UK must complete for the Agreement’s entry into force; and what his planned timeline is for the completion of these steps.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The explanatory memorandum in sections 4 and section 5 sets out the process for both Entry into force and implementation.
Asked by: Mark Francois (Conservative - Rayleigh and Wickford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to Article 5(2) of the document entitled UK/Mauritius: Agreement concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia (CS Mauritius No.1/2025), what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse supporting the Government of Mauritius in (a) establishing and (b) managing the Chagos Archipelago Marine Protected Area over the next ten years.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Blue Belt Programme, which is funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development office, currently supports BIOT to manage the current Marine Protected Area. As the Treaty states, the terms of the management and support provided by the UK to Mauritius to establish and manage the Chagos Archipelago Marine Protected Area will be agreed between the Parties by a separate written instrument, as part of implementation of the Agreement.
Asked by: Mark Francois (Conservative - Rayleigh and Wickford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the document entitled UK/Mauritius: Agreement concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia (CS Mauritius No.1/2025), if will list the measures in the Agreement that address the wrongs of the past as stated in the preamble to that Agreement; and what estimate has he made of the cost to the public purse of those measures over the next ten years.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The costs of the Treaty have been published in the Finance Exchange of Letters, laid in Parliament together with the Treaty on 22 May.
Asked by: Mark Francois (Conservative - Rayleigh and Wickford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to paragraph 10 of Annex 1 of the document entitled UK/Mauritius: Agreement concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia (CS Mauritius No.1/2025), what mechanism will his Department use to initiate high-level consultations.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
High-level consultations can be requested by either party through the mechanism of the Joint Commission or, in the event of any urgent concerns, through their respective High Commissions.
Asked by: Mark Francois (Conservative - Rayleigh and Wickford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to paragraph 6(e) of Annex 1 of the document entitled UK/Mauritius: Agreement concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia (CS Mauritius No.1/2025), what steps his Department would be able to take under the Agreement if the Government of Mauritius breached the terms of the Agreement.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Both sides have negotiated this Agreement in good faith and we are confident that Mauritius intends to uphold it in full, just as we will. Were an issue to arise in relation to the interpretation or application of the Agreement, that would be resolved in accordance with the dispute settlement provisions in the treaty. While any disputes were being resolved, the Agreement would remain in force and we would have the full legal basis to continue to exercise all the rights and authorities necessary for the operation of the base, as well as the legally binding protections to keep our adversaries out of the area.
Asked by: Mark Francois (Conservative - Rayleigh and Wickford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to Article 5 of the document entitled UK/Mauritius: Agreement concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia (CS Mauritius No.1/2025), what mechanisms will be used to resolve conflicts of the environmental regulations of the Government of Mauritius.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Under the agreement, the UK shall be responsible for environmental protection on Diego Garcia and the surrounding 12 nautical miles. This shall be undertaken in accordance with applicable international law, and with due regard to applicable Mauritian environmental laws, but Mauritius will not be able to place environmental restrictions on marine activities within that area. Beyond 12 nautical miles, the UK shall provide support and assistance to Mauritius in the establishment and management of a Marine Protected Area. This support shall be agreed before entry into force of the treaty. Any future issues that may arise as a result of the environmental regulations of Mauritius shall be resolved through the Joint Commission, as described in Annex 3.
Asked by: Mark Francois (Conservative - Rayleigh and Wickford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to Article 11 of the document entitled UK/Mauritius: Agreement concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia (CS Mauritius No.1/2025), what oversight the UK plans to ensure the Government of Mauritius will use the grants to (a) promote the ongoing economic development and (b) welfare of (i) Mauritius and (ii) its people.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Full details of the mechanisms of use for the development framework grant will be agreed between the UK and Mauritius during the implementation period, before the first payment of the grant in year 4 of the Agreement.
Asked by: Mark Francois (Conservative - Rayleigh and Wickford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to Article 14(1)(h) of the document entitled UK/Mauritius: Agreement concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia (CS Mauritius No.1/2025), what the (a) functions and (b) authority of the Joint Commission will be in resolving disputes on the interpretation of the Agreement.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Article 14 of the Treaty sets out the role of the Joint Commission in resolving disputes while Annex 3 paragraph 6 sets out the functions of the Joint Commission. All decisions of the Joint Commission require the agreement of both parties.