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 3(3) of the document entitled UK/Mauritius: Agreement concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia (CS Mauritius No.1/2025), how his Department plans will co-operate with the Government of Mauritius on trafficking in narcotics; and what estimate has he made of the cost to the public purse of such co-operation over the next ten years.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The new UK-Mauritius Strategic Partnership Framework will provide a comprehensive mechanism for delivering for the UK and Mauritius, including on areas such as narco-trafficking. UK and Mauritian Ministers will meet in the coming months to finalise the partnership and will then meet in an Annual Strategic Dialogue. This will review and keep evolving the Framework as necessary to support the security and prosperity of our countries into the future.
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(1)(h) of the UK/Mauritius Agreement concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia, published on 22 May 2025, what data sources he plans to use to apply the Gross Domestic Product Deflator to adjust annual payments from the fourteenth year onward; what his planned timetable is for making adjustments; and what mechanisms are in place to adjust for significant economic fluctuations.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As stated in the Finance Exchange of Letters, all annual payments from the 14th year onwards shall be the value of the preceding annual payment adjusted for inflation using the Gross Domestic Product ("GDP") Deflator for the preceding calendar year, as published by the UK Government.
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 19 and Annexes 5 and 6 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 with the Government of Mauritius to determine the precise maritime zones of (a) the Chagos Archipelago and (b) Diego Garcia.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) sets out the international legal basis on which States can establish coastal baselines and maritime zones, including a territorial sea and exclusive economic zone. Once the Treaty enters into force, the determination or delimitation of any maritime zones around the Chagos Archipelago will be a matter for Mauritius, in accordance with UNCLOS. The UK will have rights, as set out in the Treaty in relation to a 12 nautical mile zone surrounding the island of Diego Garcia, and in relation to the zone between 12 and 24 nautical miles surrounding the island of Diego Garcia.
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), whether he has made an estimate of the cost to the public purse of the financial contribution to the Government of Mauritius's Marine Protected Area; and if he will set out these will be accounted for in his Department's 2025/26 budget.
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 paragraph 3 of the Exchange of Letters concerning the Implementation and Interpretation of Article 11 of the UK/Mauritius Agreement concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia, published on 22 May 2025, whether he plans to put in place mechanisms to monitor Mauritius’ resettlement programme on islands other than Diego Garcia to ensure compliance with international human rights standards.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Under the agreement, Mauritius will be able to resettle the islands, other than Diego Garcia. It will be for Mauritius to set the terms of and manage any future resettlement. As fellow commonwealth members we expect Mauritius to ensure compliance, like the UK, with high human rights standards, in line with our shared international obligations.
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 UK/Mauritius Agreement concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia, published on 22 May 2025, whether he plans to put in place mechanisms to help ensure that the trust fund is (a) managed transparently and (b) is used to support the Chagossian community.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As outlined in the Explanatory Memorandum, the UK will capitalise a Trust Fund established by Mauritius for the benefit of Chagossians. The Mauritian government will oversee the fund, but the UK will work with them to develop its details during implementation discussions.
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 2 of Annex 1 of the document entitled UK/Mauritius: Agreement concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia (CS Mauritius No.1/2025), through what mechanism his Department will expeditiously inform the Government of Mauritius of an armed attack emanating from Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia; and what steps he will take to ensure that the disclosure of such information does not compromise operations.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Any notification will take place after the event and will not require the UK to divulge sensitive information. Agreement to inform a host nation is standard practice in many such arrangements, while the UN Charter itself has a requirement to notify the UN of military action taken in self-defence.
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), if he will set out the facilities his Department will provide to support law enforcement officials of the Government of Mauritius in Diego Garcia as defined in Article 19 of the Agreement.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK will support the exercise of jurisdiction of Mauritius on Diego Garcia over (i) Mauritian nationals who are not members of UK armed forces or of US personnel, and (ii) all persons not connected to the operation of the Base. This ensures that Mauritius has jurisdiction over any future illegal migration to the island, closing off a dangerous immigration route to the UK.
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 2 of Annex 1 of the document entitled UK/Mauritius: Agreement concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia (CS Mauritius No.1/2025), if he will define the term expeditiously inform; and what protocols are in place regarding the (a) timeframe and (b) nature of such communications with the Government of Mauritius.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Any notification will take place after the event and will not require the UK to divulge sensitive information. Agreement to inform a host nation about military action from their territory is standard practice in basing arrangements. Additionally, the UN Charter has a requirement to notify the UN of military action taken in self-defence.
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 3(d) of Annex 1 of the document entitled UK/Mauritius: Agreement concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia (CS Mauritius No.1/2025), what criteria will be used to determine authorisations permitting the presence of non-United Kingdom, non-United States or non-Mauritian security forces, either civilian or military in the Chagos Archipelago beyond Diego Garcia as defined in paragraph 11 of Annex 1.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The authorisation of any non-UK, non-US or non-Mauritian security forces will be agreed jointly between the UK and Mauritius. This means that it can only happen if the UK agrees. Our approach on that will be determined by an analysis of whether the presence would risk undermining, prejudicing or otherwise interfering with the long-term, secure and effective operation of the Base.