Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much his Department has spent on the (a) management and (b) enforcement of the British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Islands) Marine Protected Area in each of the last five years.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) provides funding to the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) Administration, for the good governance of the Territory, which includes the maintenance of British assets, and the management and enforcement of the Marine Protected Area. The total amount of funding provided to BIOT in each financial year is as follows:
Financial Year (FY) 22-23 - £19,100,000
FY 21-22 - £4,000,000
FY 20-21 - £5,499,160.23
FY 19-20 - £4,738,876
FY 18-19 - £9,612,000
Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Wentworth and Dearne)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent progress he has made on negotiations with Mauritius over the British Indian Ocean Territory / Chagos Archipelago; and what steps he is taking to ensure the continued effective operation of the military base on Diego Garcia.
Answered by James Heappey
The joint UK/US military base on Diego Garcia plays a crucial role in combating some of the most challenging threats to regional and international security.
The UK and Mauritius have conducted several rounds of negotiations on the exercise of sovereignty over the British Indian Ocean Territory. This work is being led by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
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 base on Diego Garcia.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Mauritian counterpart on the British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Islands) Marine Protected Area.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign Secretary's most recent discussion with the Mauritian Foreign Minister was in March 2023 and covered a range of bilateral issues.
Asked by: Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative - Shrewsbury and Atcham)
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.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
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.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Durham (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Statement by the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs on 3 November 2022 (HCWS354), what progress they have made, and what steps they still plan to take, to resolve outstanding issues in relation to the exercise of sovereignty over the British Indian Ocean Territory/Chagos Archipelago, including those relating to the return of former inhabitants of the Chagos Archipelago.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The UK and Mauritius have held four rounds of constructive negotiations on the exercise of sovereignty over the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT)/Chagos Archipelago. The Foreign Secretary's Written Ministerial Statement (UIN HCWS645) of 17 March 2023 stated that the UK and Mauritius had welcomed the progress to date and agreed to continue negotiations. Negotiations are being held in private, so we cannot speculate on possible outcomes nor pre-empt their conclusions.
We recognise this is an important issue for many Chagossians. While the negotiations are between the UK and Mauritius, we are engaging with the Chagossian communities as negotiations progress.
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential role of the Chagos Islands in supporting the UK's long-term geopolitical interests.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The joint UK/US base on Diego Garcia has contributed significantly to regional and global security. The base helps the UK, US and other allies and partners to combat some of the most challenging threats, including from terrorism, organised crime and instability.
The UK and Mauritius are in ongoing negotiations on the exercise of sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT)/Chagos Archipelago. Both sides have reiterated that any agreement will ensure the continued effective operation of the joint military base.
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department made of the annual cost to the Government of maintaining military installations and infrastructure in the Chagos Islands.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
There are ongoing costs to maintain the military installations and infrastructure on the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) to ensure the continual effective operation of the joint UK/US base on Diego Garcia. The FCDO provides annual funding to the BIOT Administration, which covers wider civilian maintenance costs.
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to improve the (a) accountability and (b) transparency of operations carried out by military and intelligence agencies stationed in the Chagos Islands.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
All activity carried out by the joint UK/US facility on Diego Garcia is consistent with international law. There are no steps actively being undertaken to improve the accountability and transparency of operations carried out by military and intelligence agencies stationed in the British Indian Ocean Territory/Chagos Archipelago as we believe that they are adequate, although we do keep these under constant review.
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the economic (a) merits and (b) drawbacks to the Chagossian people of sustainable development in the Chagos Islands.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Other than the joint UK/US military base on Diego Garcia, the British Indian Ocean Territory / Chagos Archipelago is uninhabited. The issue of resettlement forms part of the ongoing sovereignty negotiations with Mauritius; we cannot provide detail on the content of the discussions or speculate on possible outcomes. Both the UK and Mauritius have expressed their commitment to the protection of the marine environment in the Indian Ocean. The UK Government remains committed to supporting Chagossians wherever they live through the Chagossian Support Package.
Asked by: Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative - Shrewsbury and Atcham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions he has had with his Mauritian counterpart about the potential effects on maritime security in the Indian Ocean of transfer of the British Indian Ocean Territory to Mauritian sovereignty.
Answered by James Heappey
The Secretary of State for Defence has not held recent discussions with his Mauritian counterpart.
The UK and Mauritius are in negotiations on the exercise of sovereignty over the British Indian Ocean Territory/Chagos Archipelago. 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 base on Diego Garcia, which plays a key role in regional security.