Every parliamentary written question tabled by Priti Patel this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 121–140 of 407 · Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the government of Mauritius has requested a visit to (a) Diego Garcia, (b) Peros Banhos and (c) other islands on the Chagos Archipelago in 2025.
Any visits to Diego Garcia or the other islands in the Chagos Archipelago, including Peros Banhos, by the Mauritian government will be considered on a case-by-case basis until the Treaty enters into force, ensuring at all times the protection of the military base on Diego Garcia.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made representations to his Mauritian counterpart on the potential merits of UK representation on the board of the Chagossian Trust Fund for British Chagossians.
We have committed to capitalise a Trust Fund for the benefit of Chagossians, and are engaging with Mauritius on the design and parameters of the Fund, including potential UK representation on its Board. The Government has committed to update the House on the operation of the Trust Fund before ratification of the Treaty.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an estimate of the cost to the Exchequer of providing (a) technical expertise to manage the Chagos Archipelago Marine Protected Area, (b) the provision of (i) training and (ii) institutional partnerships to (A) increase Mauritian maritime security capability and (B) protect fisheries, and (c) patrolling capability across the Chagos Archipelago.
Decisions on support and provision of training, technical expertise, and institutional partnerships on Maritime Security will be taken as part of the implementation of the Diego Garcia Base Deal with Mauritius. We will not be providing a running commentary on these implementation talks.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much funding his Department has provided to the British Indian Ocean Territory in (a) each of the last five years and (b) the 2025-26 financial year; and how much funding he plans to provide for the administration of Diego Garcia in each of the next five years.
The British Indian Ocean Territory Administration publishes an Appropriation Ordinance at the beginning of each financial year. This outlines annual budgets, primarily funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), and can be found on their website.Future funding plans remain subject to future internal business planning processes. The FCDO is committed to providing overseas territories with sufficient funding to ensure smooth running of the territories.After entry into force of the Treaty, the UK Government will continue to ensure that the Base has the necessary funding to be able to function as it has done well into the next century.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answers of 8 July 2025 to Questions 64030 on Gibraltar: Sovereignty and 64027 on UN Special Committee on Decolonisation, if he will make it his policy to (a) reform and (b) abolish the UN Special Committee on Decolonisation.
The Government believes the UN Special Committee on Decolonisation is outdated and no longer has a relevant role to play with respect to the UK Overseas Territories. For those Territories who wish it, the UK will continue to support requests for the removal of the Territory from the United Nations list of non-self-governing Territories and to support the right of the people of the Overseas Territories to address the UN Special Committee on Decolonisation directly.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with Prime Minister Ramgoolam of Mauritius on the UK’s (a) right to unilaterally extend and (b) authority to exercise sovereign rights over Diego Garcia for the duration of the lease.
We have been clear and consistent regarding the duration of the treaty. The treaty will last for an initial 99 years and may be extended for a further 40 years (and beyond) by agreement between the UK and Mauritius.Even if no agreement is reached, the UK will have the right to first refusal on the use of Diego Garcia which, if exercised, would prevent the use of the base by any other party.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.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 15 July 2025 to Question 64734 on Diego Garcia: Military Bases, if he will place a copy in the House of Commons Library of the terms of the lease extension clauses that were agreed at the time that he made his statement to the House of Commons on 7 October 2024; and if he will publish an explanatory note for the changes made in the version of the Treaty signed on 22 May 2025.
We have been clear and consistent regarding the duration of the treaty. The treaty will last for an initial 99 years and may be extended for a further 40 years (and beyond) by agreement between the UK and Mauritius.Even if no agreement is reached, the UK will have the right to first refusal on the use of Diego Garcia which, if exercised, would prevent the use of the base by any other party.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 2 July 2025 to Question 62582 on Chagos Islands: Sovereignty, what the annual payments were in dollars previously proposed; what the exchange rate was that the overall costs were estimated in; and and what estimate he has made of the net present value of those payments.
As per the answer to Question 62582, transferring the finance package into Sterling had no impact on overall cost but did reduce future foreign exchange rate risks for the UK.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to make the first payment under the UK-Mauritius treaty in the Mauritian fiscal financial year to 30 June 2026.
The first payment will be made the first of the month following the month of entry into force of the Agreement. An entry into force date will be confirmed once both Parties have finalised all domestic procedures necessary and exchanged letters of ratification.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 15 July 2025 to Question 64731 on Chagos Islands: Sovereignty, if he will list the full rights and authorities the UK (a) is authorised to exercise in respect of Diego Garcia under the terms of the UK-Mauritius Treaty agreed on 22 May 2025 and (b) was authorised to exercise in respect of Diego Garcia in the proposals at the time of his statement to the House on 7 October 2024.
I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer given to her previous question, 56761, on changes to the Treaty.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with his Mauritian counterpart on the potential impact of Section 76B of the Mauritian criminal code on Chagossians.
I refer the Rt Hon Member to the Explanatory Memorandum for Mauritius's Criminal Code (Amendment) Bill 2021 (https://mauritiusassembly.govmu.org/mauritiusassembly/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/bill1621.pdf) .It is clear that legislation applies only to persons acting under the authority or instructions of a foreign state in the production, distribution, supply or marketing of any coin, stamp, official map or official document.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what was discussed between the UK High Commission to the Mauritius and (a) the Mauritian Minister of Foreign Affairs and (b) the President of Mauritius at their meeting in July 2025.
The newly appointed British High Commissioner to Mauritius, Paul Brummell CMG, met Mauritius President Dharam Gokhool on 21 July to present his credentials. The conversation covered the bilateral relationship between the two countries. The High Commissioner met Foreign Minister Dhananjay Ramful twice in July, on 21 and 28 July, and discussed the UK/Mauritius Agreement concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia and Strategic Partnership Framework signed in May between Minister Ramful and the Foreign Secretary, as well as the broader bilateral agenda between the UK and Mauritius.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when the technical committee between the UK and Mauritius (a) has met since 22 May 2025 and (b) plans to meet in (i) 2025 and (ii) 2026; and whether the (A) agendas and (B) minutes of those meetings will be published.
The UK will not be providing a running commentary on the implementation of the Agreement.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the agenda was of the meeting between the Mauritian Attorney General and representatives of the UK and Mauritian Governments on 12 June 2025; and what was discussed at that meeting.
The UK will not be providing a running commentary on the implementation of the Agreement.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have met Inter-Mediate since July 2024.
Details of the external meetings held by ministers in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office are routinely published in the Department's quarterly transparency disclosures.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to have discussions with his Chinese counterpart on dissuading that country to collaborate with Iran on matters that are counter to UK security interests.
The Foreign Secretary recently met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit to discuss international security issues, including Iran. As P5 members of the United Nations Security Council, we must continue to engage China and all other relevant stakeholders as we try to find a diplomatic path to ensure Iran can never develop a nuclear weapon.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Intelligence and Security Committee’s report entitled Iran, published on 10 July 2025, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on whether the Government plans to change its Counter State Threats Strategy to address the concerns in paragraph 12; what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the steps the Government plans to take to support the intelligence community in improving its understanding of the Iranian threats listed in paragraph 15; what steps his Department is taking to help support Israel to defend itself against Iranian threats; and what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on steps to counter the risk of an increased threat from the Iranian Intelligence Services to the Government as set out in paragraph 106.
The Government thanks the Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) for its independent report on Iran. The Government will respond fully to the recommendations and conclusions in the report, in due course.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Intelligence and Security Committee's report entitled Iran, published on 10 July 2025, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Education on steps to help counter threats from Iran to compromise UK academic institutions.
The Government thanks the Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) for its independent report on Iran. The Government will respond fully to the recommendations and conclusions in the report, in due course.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to paragraph 442 of the Intelligence and Security Committee's report entitled Iran, published on 10 July 2025, what steps he is taking to update the Government's strategic approach to Iran.
The Government thanks the Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) for its independent report on Iran. The Government will respond fully to the recommendations and conclusions in the report, in due course.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what lessons his Department has learnt from countering malicious Iranian cyber activity; and what discussions he has had with his (a) Middle Eastern and (b) international counterparts on this matter.
The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) assesses that Iran-based threat actors remain aggressive in cyberspace and continue to achieve their objectives through less sophisticated cyber techniques (including prolific use of spear-phishing), but also targeting industrial control systems.The NCSC continues to work closely with government, industry and international partners to understand and mitigate the cyber threat from Iran. This includes the activities of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. In September 2024, the UK and the US jointly issued a Technical Advisory focusing on attackers working on behalf of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps use social engineering to gain access to victims' online accounts. This Advisory provided network defenders with information to help mitigate these threats.Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office ministers and officials raise the UK's concerns about the cyber threat regularly with their international counterparts, including the activities of particular states where appropriate. The UK works with international partners to ensure the perpetrators of malicious cyber activity are held to account, and will continue to expose and take action against such groups to make it clear that irresponsible behaviour in cyberspace will have serious consequences.