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 residents of St Helena on the housing of illegal migrants from the Chagos Islands archipelago.

The new Memorandum of Understanding with the St Helena Government has been deposited in the library of both Houses, as communicated by the Minister for the Overseas Territories in a recent letter to the Hon Gentleman. The St Helena Government has also published the Memorandum of Understanding on their website.

The St Helena Government are responsible for any local consultation. FCDO and Home Office Ministers worked closely with St Helena's Chief Minister and her team to conclude this agreement, which was welcomed by the St Helena Government in a public statement after the signing of the agreement.