Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with US counterparts on the transfer of the British Indian Ocean Territory to Mauritius.

The UK and Mauritius have reiterated that any agreement between our two countries will ensure the continued effective operation of the joint UK-US military facility on Diego Garcia. The US fully supports the process of bilateral negotiations between the UK and Mauritius on the exercise of sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago.

The Foreign Secretary and his officials are in regular contact with the US on a range of topics related to the British Indian Ocean Territory / Chagos Archipelago, including the ongoing sovereignty negotiations with Mauritius.