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 to frontload payments under the agreement concerning the Chagos Archipelago including 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.