Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with Prime Minister Ramgoolam of Mauritius proposals to issue (a) fisheries and (b) trawler licences for the Chagos Archipelago.

The UK Government continues to engage with Mauritius on the parameters, and support the establishment of, the proposed Mauritian Marine Protected Area. The terms of this support and assistance will be agreed in a separate process which is already underway.