Written questions by Patel.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with the National Security Adviser on government to government communications with Russia.

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer given on 20 October to question 81835.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 5 November 2025 to Question 88230 on Chagos Islands: Marine Protected Area, whether Mauritius has provided information on the annual quota for each fish stock to be granted in the proposed (a) 612,611 km2 Conservation Zone, (b) 2,251 km2 Habitat Protection Zone and (c) 7,261 km2 Traditional Zone for Resettlement.

We welcome the 3 November announcement by the Mauritian government confirming plans for the establishment of a Marine Protected Area after entry into force of the Treaty. The proposed zones of the future protected area will utilise the internationally recognised categories of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).There will be no commercial fishing across the entire 640,000 square kilometre area. The Great Chagos Bank will be given one of the highest levels of protection, with the rest of the Marine Protected Area categorised as a highly protected conservation zone. There will be limited provision for controlled levels of artisanal fishing in confined zoned areas intended for resettlement, to allow for subsistence fishing by any Chagossian communities that resettle, while maintaining the commitment to nature conservation.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, on what dates Chagos Contact Group (a) Ministers and (b) officials from her Department (i) have met with the Chagos Contact Group and (ii) plan to meet the Chagos Contact Group in the next twelve months.

The first meeting of the Contact Group, attended by myself and Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office officials, took place on 2 September 2025, and it will continue to meet quarterly as part of wider engagement between the UK Government and Chagossian representatives.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, on what dates the UK High Commissioner for Mauritius has met with the Chinese Ambassador to Mauritius since 5 July 2025.

The UK High Commissioner to Mauritius met his Chinese counterpart for a courtesy call on 28 July 2025. Such calls are normal practice on arrival for new Heads of Mission. The High Commissioner has had no further formal meetings with the Chinese Ambassador.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what subjects were discussed at the meeting between the UK High Commissioner to Mauritius and the Chinese Ambassador to Mauritius at their meeting on 28 July 2025; and if she will publish the minutes of that meeting.

The UK High Commissioner to Mauritius met his Chinese counterpart for a courtesy call on 28 July 2025. Such calls are normal practice on arrival for new Heads of Mission. The High Commissioner has had no further formal meetings with the Chinese Ambassador.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, by what date has the Government of Mauritius requested that the first payment be made under the UK-Mauritius Treaty.

The first payment will be made on the first day of the month following the month of entry into force of the Agreement. Full details of the payments have already been published in the Explanatory Memorandum accompanying the Treaty.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, from which budget within her Department's resources she expects to fund her Department's contributions for payments to Mauritius under the UK-Mauritius Treaty.

Payments will be published in the normal manner alongside other departmental spend in the annual accounts.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, on what date she expects to publish the UK-EU treaty text on Gibraltar.

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer provided on 27 June 2025 to Question 61391.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether Mauritius have notified her of contact with (a) India and (b) other third countries to coordinate visits to the Chagos Archipelago.

I refer the Hon. Member to my answer to question 69814 on 3 September 2025.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether Mauritius has notified her of (a) plans for a future Marine Protected Area for the Chagos Archipelago and (b) measures to permit fishing.

We welcome the 3 November announcement by the Mauritian Government confirming plans for the establishment of a Marine Protected Area after entry into force of the Treaty. The proposed zones of the future protected area will utilise the internationally recognised categories of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). There will be no commercial fishing across the entire 640,000 square kilometre area. The Great Chagos Bank will be given one of the highest levels of protection, with the rest of the MPA categorised as a highly protected conservation zone. There will be limited provision for controlled levels of artisanal fishing in confined zoned areas intended for resettlement, to allow for subsistence fishing by any Chagossian communities that resettle, while maintaining the commitment to nature conservation.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she will consider the potential merits of commissioning a study of the environmental condition of the Marine Protected Area around the Chagos Archipelago prior to the transfer of sovereignty under the UK-Mauritius Treaty.

I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answer given to question 70431.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will set out the technical assistance her Department will provide to Mauritius for the Marine Protected Area under Article 5 of the UK-Mauritius Treaty; and what the estimated (a) value and (b) cost of that support will be in each of the next five years.

I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answer given to question 70431.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department has had discussions with the Government of Mauritius on the potential presence of third countries in the Chagos Archipelago following the transfer of sovereignty under the terms of UK-Mauritius Treaty.

The treaty contains robust provisions to protect the base, including a 24 nautical mile buffer zone around Diego Garcia and a ban on foreign security forces anywhere in the archipelago. Any suggestions that Mauritius has been negotiating a lease on Peros Banhos are false. This was confirmed by the Mauritian Attorney General in a public statement on 20 October 2025.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has made provision in her departmental budget for the cost of payments to Mauritius under the UK-Mauritius Treaty in 2025-26.

The payments to Mauritius will be split between the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the Ministry of Defence. They will be published in the normal manner alongside other departmental spend in the annual accounts.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether a representative of the government of Mauritius enquired with her Department about visiting the Chagos Archipelago prior to sovereignty being transferred; and whether her Department has been asked to facilitate visits with third countries participating.

I refer the Rt Hon. member to the answer given to question 69814.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the UK-Mauritius Treaty, whether payments to Mauritius will be accounted for as day-to-day spending.

The payments to Mauritius will be split between the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the Ministry of Defence. They will be published in the normal manner alongside other departmental spend in the annual accounts.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will set out her Department's plans for staffing reorganisation including (a) the number of staff in each of the next five years and (ii) total staffing costs in each of the next five financial years.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is undertaking a phased restructure of its workforce in line with the Spending Review settlement. Further details will be set out in the usual way in due course.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to her joint letter with the Home Secretary to the Planning Inspectorate on the Chinese Embassy, dated 14 January 2025, what discussions her Department had with their Chinese counterparts on the planning application for the Chinese Embassy between 5 July 2024 and 14 January 2025.

I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answer given to question 24158.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the steps taken by the interim Syrian regime on (a) the (i) identification and (ii) the safe disposal of chemical weapons and (b) the protection of the rights of minorities since December 2024.

The UK welcomes the Syrian Government's commitment to ridding Syria of the Assad regime's chemical weapons. We continue to engage the Syrian Government to support their efforts to locate, secure and destroy chemical weapons left by the Assad regime. The UK has committed over £2.8 million to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to support the OPCW's verification of the destruction of chemical weapons in Syria.The UK welcomes efforts by the Syrian Government to protect the rights of all Syrians, regardless of religious or ethnic background. This includes their investigations into outbreaks of sectarian violence in coastal areas and Suwayda, and their facilitation of the UN to investigate human rights violations. We will continue to judge the Syrian Government on its actions not its words.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the Prime Minister discussed (a) Russian oil imports and (b) the refining of oil from Russia by Turkish-based companies during his meeting with the President of Turkey on 27 October 2025.

I refer the Hon. Member to the oral statement on Ukraine made by the Foreign Secretary on 15 October 2025.