Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when her Department agreed with Mauritius that the UK would not be entitled to exercise sovereign rights and authorities with respect to Diego Garcia.

I refer the Rt Hon Member back to the answer I gave her on 22 September in response to Question 75282. Under the terms of the agreement, the UK will exercise all rights and authorities which are required for the long-term, secure and effective operation of the base. The agreement robustly protects the national security of the UK and our allies.