Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 2 June 2025 to Question 50839 on Gaza: Humanitarian Aid, how much UK-funded aid has been provided to Gaza since 5 July 2024 (a) listed by (i) aid category and (ii) volume, (b) through funding provided to third party organisations and (c) that has been made available but not yet allocated; and what the purposes were of aid provided through third party organisations.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is doing all we can to alleviate suffering. All allocations of our Humanitarian Programme are available publicly on Development Tracker (https://devtracker.fcdo.gov.uk/programme/GB-GOV-1-400022/transactions) which includes funding provided to third party organisations. We have published further information on Core Relief Items through the programme's annual review (https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Fiati.fcdo.gov.uk%2Fiati_documents%2FD0006063.odt&wdOrigin=BROWSELINK) with the next to be published by November 2025. Finally, as mentioned in my previous response, quantifying how much aid is awaiting entry into Gaza is difficult, due to the complex operating environment and limited real-time data.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to Annex 2 of the document entitled UK/Mauritius: Agreement concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia (CS Mauritius No.1/2025), whether officials from Mauritius will be present on Diego Garcia.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
There are no provisions within the treaty for Mauritian officials to be based on Diego Garcia, however Mauritians can work on Diego Garcia, subject to appropriate security protocols.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the provisions in Article 5(2) of the UK-Mauritius Treaty (CP 1334), what steps he is taking to protect the status of the current marine protected area; when he plans to publish the separate written instrument; and whether he has made an assessment of the merits of Mauritius placing restrictions on marine activities around (a) 12 nautical miles and (b) 24 nautical miles of Diego Garcia.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
UK support to Mauritius to establish and manage the Chagos Archipelago Marine Protected Area will be agreed by the Parties by a separate written instrument as part of the implementation of the Agreement. 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. Between 12 and 24 nautical miles, no construction, installations, structures or sensors can be installed without the UK's agreement.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if operations on Diego Garcia will be subject to the requirements of the Pelindaba Treaty as a result of the transfer of sovereignty to Mauritius under the terms of the UK-Mauritius Treaty.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The United Kingdom is not a Party to the Pelindaba Treaty, although it is a Party to Protocols I and II. The United Kingdom will ensure all operations on Diego Garcia will continue to comply with its obligations under applicable international law.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies on (a) Diego Garcia and (b) the rest of the Chagos Archipelago of the agreement reached between Mauritius and Russian on marine research announced in May 2025.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Treaty secures the long-term, secure and effective operation of the Base. Mauritius as a sovereign nation has agreements with many countries, on a range of issues, these have no bearing on the Treaty.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with (a) charities and (b) research institutions on the marine protected area of the British Indian Ocean Territory.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office officials have met with organisations such as the Zoological Society of London and the Chagos Conservation Trust in regard to the BIOT/Chagos Archipelago Marine Protected Area.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether commitments made in the UK-Mauritius Agreement will be funded from Overseas Development Assistance budgets.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
None of the elements of the economic partnership provided for by the UK-Mauritius Agreement on the Chagos Islands, including Diego Garcia, will be funded from Official Development Assistance budgets.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the provisions of Article 11(1)(b) and paragraph 2 of Letter No. 1 of the document entitled UK/Mauritius: Agreement concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia (CS Mauritius No.1/2025), published on 22 May 2025, whether he has received details from Mauritius on their proposals for the (a) operation and (b) governance of the Chagossian Trust Fund; whether British Chagossians will be represented in the (i) governance and (ii) decision-making of the Trust Fund; and for what purposes the Fund can be used.
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: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to Annex 2 of the document entitled UK/Mauritius: Agreement concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia (CS Mauritius No.1/2025), what costs will be incurred by the UK in providing the facilities on Diego Garcia for Mauritius in respect of the provisions under paragraph 8.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As per paragraph 10 of Annex 2, the UK and Mauritius will be agreeing separate arrangements and operating procedures as necessary to assist and facilitate the exercise of Mauritian jurisdiction in respect to paragraph 8. There will be no additional facilities on the island needed to assist Mauritian jurisdiction.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the document entitled UK/Mauritius: Agreement concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia (CS Mauritius No.1/2025), whether there are (a) restrictions on and (b) processes to facilitate (i) planes under the control of Mauritius (A) entering Diego Garcia airspace (B) landing on Diego Garcia and (ii) vessels under the flag of Mauritius (C) entering the 12 nautical mile zone (D) entering the zone between 12 and 24 nautical miles surrounding Diego Garcia, where Diego Garcia as defined by Article 19 of the Agreement.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
Under the terms of the Chagos Archipelago Treaty, the UK controls access of persons and goods to Diego Garcia, which includes the airspace and territorial sea in the 12 nautical mile surrounding zone. In accordance with this control the UK must authorise access to Diego Garcia, including for Mauritian aircraft and vessels.
Additionally, the current three nautical mile territorial sea is to be extended to 12 nautical miles, with the UK controlling the twelve nautical miles surrounding Diego Garcia. Outside of the territorial sea, movements of vessels and aircraft are governed by the rights in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. With the extension of the territorial sea under the treaty, this means that the UK will control nine nautical miles more than is currently the case.