Written questions by Patel.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2025 to Question 54744 on British Indian Ocean Territory: Sovereignty, whether he plans to bring forward legislative proposals before the end of the 21-day period set through the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010.

Primary legislation will be introduced as soon as Parliamentary time allows.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2025 to Question 56193 on Chagos Islands: Sovereignty, whether sanctions would be placed on Mauritius should the confidentiality of notifications be breached.

There is no notification requirement for UK or US access, basing or over-flights around the base. Agreement to inform a host nation about military action from their territory is standard practice in basing arrangements. Any notification will take place after the event and will not require the UK to divulge sensitive information. Article 3(2) of the treaty clearly states that Mauritius cannot undermine, prejudice or otherwise interfere with the long-term, secure and effective operation of the Base on Diego Garcia, and that Mauritius shall cooperate to that end.Article 14 of the Treaty sets out the role of the Joint Commission in resolving disputes. It is expected that the majority of security concerns that arise during the implementation of the Agreement will be resolved via the Joint Commission. If an issue arises that relates to the essential security interests of either the United Kingdom or Mauritius, which cannot be settled through the Joint Commission, Clause 3 of Article 14 provides the ability for direct Prime Ministerial consultation.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the UK/Mauritius: Agreement concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia, published on 22 May 2025, whether Mauritius will be able to conduct marine research activities (a) on Diego Garcia, (b) in the 12 nautical mile zone from Diego Garcia, (c) in the 12 nautical mile to 24 nautical mile zone and (d) in the Chagos Archipelago.

I refer the Right Honourable Member to the answer of 11 June 2025 to question 54739.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 5 June 2025 to Question 54745 on Chagos Island: Sovereignty, if he will make it his policy to extend the 21-day scrutiny period.

I refer the Rt Hon member to the reply to her PQs 54745 and 47650.I appeared before the International Relations and Defence Committee/International Agreements Committee on 17 June and will appear before the Foreign Affairs Select Committee on 23 June as part of the process of scrutiny.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2025 to Question 54740 on British Indian Ocean Territory: Sovereignty, whether measures have been put in place to (a) protect equipment on the Chagos Archipelago outside of Diego Garcia from interference, (b) ensure that the government of Mauritius maintains the confidentiality of the locations of that equipment and (c) respond to any breaches of the agreement by Mauritius.

The Treaty explicitly grants all rights and authorities that the United Kingdom requires for the long-term, secure and effective operation of the Base. Furthermore, Mauritius has committed to not undermine, prejudice or otherwise interfere with the long-term, secure and effective operation of the Base, and shall cooperate to that end. It is expected that the majority of security concerns that arise during the implementation of the Agreement will be resolved via the Joint Commission. If an issue arises that relates to the essential security interests of either the United Kingdom or Mauritius, which cannot be settled through the Joint Commission, Clause 3 of Article 14 provides the ability for direct Prime Ministerial consultation.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 10 June 2025 to Question 56763 on Chagosssians: Finance, from which line from his Department's budget the Chagossian Trust Fund will be resourced; when the implementation discussions will commence; what discussions he has had with his Mauritian counterparts on the Committee they are establishing to oversee the implementation of projects for the Chagos Archipelago; and what engagement he plans to have with the Chagossian community in Britain on the Trust Fund.

We recognise the importance of the islands to Chagossians and have worked to ensure the agreement reflects this. We will increase our support to Chagossians, including through the establishment of a £40 million trust fund. The UK Government regularly engages with Chagossian groups and representatives at both official and Ministerial levels. The Foreign Secretary and I met Chagossian groups on 22 May 2025. We continue to have regular dialogue with Mauritius on a range of Treaty-related issues including the Chagossian Trust Fund. We will not provide a running commentary on continued engagement. As we have previously stated the costs associated with the deal will be split between the Ministry of Defence and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2025 to Question 57196 on British Indian Ocean Territory: Sovereignty, whether changes were made to the (a) indexation measure for payments, (b) currency payments to be made and (c) the lease extension clause in the period between his oral statement of 7 October 2024 on British Indian Ocean Territory: Negotiations, Official Report, column 46, and the signing of the UK/Mauritius agreement concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia, published on 22 May 2025.

There has been no change to the terms of extension in the treaty. The treaty will last for 99 years and can be extended, securing the base well into the next century. As referenced in the UK/Mauritius joint statement on 3 October regarding the political agreement, indexation was always a part of the agreement. Between October and May, a shift to sterling values was agreed. At this point, we also strengthened provisions in the Treaty which secure the base and that will stop hostile actors or competitor states from establishing outposts in neighbouring islands. There was no increase to the overall quantum of the Agreement.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 10 June 2025 to Question 56764 on British Indian Ocean Territory: Marine Protected Areas, if he will list the dates and organisations that have held meetings with officials since July 2024.

On various occasions Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office officials have met with the Chagos Conservation Trust, the Zoological Society of London and the BIOT Administration's Chief Scientific Adviser as part of stakeholder engagement. The most recent dates include meetings on 10 October and 9 December 2024, 12 February, 14 March, 21 March, 15 April, and 17 April 2025. We do not intend to provide a running commentary.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 10 June 2025 to Question 56762, on Chagos Islands: Sovereignty, from which line of his Department’s budget the economic partnership with Mauritius will be resourced from.

The costs associated with the deal will be split between the Ministry of Defence and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies on (a) Diego Garcia and (b) the rest of the Chagos Archipelago of the agreement reached between Mauritius and Russian on marine research announced in May 2025.

The Treaty secures the long-term, secure and effective operation of the Base. Mauritius as a sovereign nation has agreements with many countries, on a range of issues, these have no bearing on the Treaty.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if operations on Diego Garcia will be subject to the requirements of the Pelindaba Treaty as a result of the transfer of sovereignty to Mauritius under the terms of the UK-Mauritius Treaty.

The United Kingdom is not a Party to the Pelindaba Treaty, although it is a Party to Protocols I and II. The United Kingdom will ensure all operations on Diego Garcia will continue to comply with its obligations under applicable international law.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential risk of claims from third countries in relation to the sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory.

Mauritius's legal claim of sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago is supported by a number of international institutions, including the UN General Assembly. If a long-term deal was not reached between the UK and Mauritius, it is highly likely that further wide-ranging litigation would be brought quickly by Mauritius against the UK.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what (a) discussions and (b) correspondence he has had with his counterpart in the Maldives on the future sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory.

The issue of British Indian Ocean Territory sovereignty featured in the Foreign Secretary's meeting with the Maldives Foreign Minister at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting on 25 October 2024 and in the Minister for the Indo-Pacific meeting with the Maldives Foreign Minister on 14 October 2024. Our High Commissioner in Male also briefed the Maldivian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the Treaty when it was signed on 22 May 2025.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will list the changes made to the Treaty with Mauritius over the future sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory between 3 October 2024 and 22 May 2025.

The Government has always been clear that it would not provide a running commentary on negotiations. However, it is worth noting that the deal signed on 22 May is stronger than earlier versions of the treaty, particularly that inherited by the previous government in July 2024. Since 3 October 2024, the UK agreed additional measures with Mauritius that provided an effective UK veto to prevent any security threats to Base operations from the outer islands of the Archipelago - some over 100 nautical miles away. We have also agreed a change to the structure and timing of payments, meaning some of it will be front-loaded into the first few years. The overall cost of the deal has not changed from that negotiated under the former Mauritian Prime Minister in October 2024.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to Article 11 and Letter No.1 of the Exchange of letters concerning implementation and interpretation of Article 11 of the Agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the Republic of Mauritius concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia, dated 22 May 2025, of the document entitled UK/Mauritius: Agreement concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia (CS Mauritius No.1/2025), what estimate he has made of the (a) annual rate of the GDP deflator in each of the next 99 years and (b) annual payments in each of the next 99 years; and if he will set out which budget will (i) capitalise the Chagossian Trust Fund, (ii) fund the 25 year economic partnership and (iii) fund the establishment of the Mauritius Marine Protected Area.

As stated in the explanatory memorandum laid alongside the treaty, the UK government uses the Office for Budgetary Responsibility forecast GDP Deflator in its calculation of future expected payment values. The average annual payments across the length of the Agreement in 2025-26 prices is £101 million. The budget for payments made under the UK-Mauritius Agreement will come from both the Ministry of Defence and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to Article 6 of of the document entitled UK/Mauritius: Agreement concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia (CS Mauritius No.1/2025), whether he has received guarantees from Mauritius on the rights of British Chagossians to (a) resettle on and (b) visit the Chagos Archipelago.

Under the agreement, Mauritius will be able to resettle the islands, other than Diego Garcia. It will be for Mauritius to set the terms of and manage any future resettlement. Separate to the agreement, we will work with Mauritius to start a new programme of visits for Chagossians to the Chagos Archipelago, including Diego Garcia.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to his Oral Statement of 7 October 2024 on British Indian Ocean Territory: Negotiations, Official Report, column 46, and Article 2(1) of the of the document entitled UK/Mauritius: Agreement concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia (CS Mauritius No.1/2025), published on 22 May 2025, for what reason the Agreement only authorises the UK to exercise the rights and authorities of Mauritius with respect to Diego Garcia in accordance with the terms of the Agreement rather than in full; what the impact of this change is on (a) UK security and defence interests, (b) the marine environment and (c) control over Diego Garcia as defined in Article 19 of the Agreement; and on what date was the change to the position outlined by him to the House on 7 October 2024 was agreed.

The Treaty explicitly grants all rights and authorities that the United Kingdom requires for the long-term, secure and effective operation of the Base. The rights referred to in the Foreign Secretary's statement of 7 October 2024 are the same rights that are detailed in the treaty. Indeed, compared to the treaty negotiated by the last government, we have strengthened provisions which secure the base and that will stop hostile actors or competitor states from establishing outposts in neighbouring islands.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the provisions of Article 11(1)(b) and paragraph 2 of Letter No. 1 of the document entitled UK/Mauritius: Agreement concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia (CS Mauritius No.1/2025), published on 22 May 2025, whether he has received details from Mauritius on their proposals for the (a) operation and (b) governance of the Chagossian Trust Fund; whether British Chagossians will be represented in the (i) governance and (ii) decision-making of the Trust Fund; and for what purposes the Fund can be used.

As outlined in the Explanatory Memorandum, the UK will capitalise a Trust Fund established by Mauritius for the benefit of Chagossians. The Mauritian government will oversee the fund, but the UK will work with them to develop its details during implementation discussions.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with (a) charities and (b) research institutions on the marine protected area of the British Indian Ocean Territory.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office officials have met with organisations such as the Zoological Society of London and the Chagos Conservation Trust in regard to the BIOT/Chagos Archipelago Marine Protected Area.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to Annex 2 of the document entitled UK/Mauritius: Agreement concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia (CS Mauritius No.1/2025), what costs will be incurred by the UK in providing the facilities on Diego Garcia for Mauritius in respect of the provisions under paragraph 8.

As per paragraph 10 of Annex 2, the UK and Mauritius will be agreeing separate arrangements and operating procedures as necessary to assist and facilitate the exercise of Mauritian jurisdiction in respect to paragraph 8. There will be no additional facilities on the island needed to assist Mauritian jurisdiction.