Every parliamentary written question tabled by Priti Patel this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 221–240 of 419 · Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
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, 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, 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, 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, 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, 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 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, 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.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether commitments made in the UK-Mauritius Agreement will be funded from Overseas Development Assistance budgets.
None of the elements of the economic partnership provided for by the UK-Mauritius Agreement on the Chagos Islands, including Diego Garcia, will be funded from Official Development Assistance budgets.
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, pursuant to the Answer of 2 June 2025 to Question 50839 on Gaza: Humanitarian Aid, how much UK-funded aid has been provided to Gaza since 5 July 2024 (a) listed by (i) aid category and (ii) volume, (b) through funding provided to third party organisations and (c) that has been made available but not yet allocated; and what the purposes were of aid provided through third party organisations.
The UK is doing all we can to alleviate suffering. All allocations of our Humanitarian Programme are available publicly on Development Tracker (https://devtracker.fcdo.gov.uk/programme/GB-GOV-1-400022/transactions) which includes funding provided to third party organisations. We have published further information on Core Relief Items through the programme's annual review (https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Fiati.fcdo.gov.uk%2Fiati_documents%2FD0006063.odt&wdOrigin=BROWSELINK) with the next to be published by November 2025. Finally, as mentioned in my previous response, quantifying how much aid is awaiting entry into Gaza is difficult, due to the complex operating environment and limited real-time data.
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), whether officials from Mauritius will be present on Diego Garcia.
There are no provisions within the treaty for Mauritian officials to be based on Diego Garcia, however Mauritians can work on Diego Garcia, subject to appropriate security protocols.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to paragraphs 1(b)(viii), 2 and 3(a) of Annex 1 of the document entitled UK/Mauritius: Agreement concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia (CS Mauritius No.1/2025), if he will set out (a) the process by which the UK will notify the Government of Mauritius, (b) the designated points of contact in the Government of Mauritius to receive such notifications and (c) whether the Agreement binds the Government of Mauritius to keep those notifications confidential.
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.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to paragraph 3(f) of 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), whether his Department has made an assessment of (a) the likelihood of UK businesses being awarded contracts and (b) the Mauritius legal framework on procurement to facilitate contracts being awarded to UK businesses.
Full details of the mechanisms of use for the development framework grant will be agreed between the UK and Mauritius during the implementation period, before the first payment of the grant in year 4 of the Agreement.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the document entitled UK/Mauritius: Agreement concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia (CS Mauritius No.1/2025), whether the Pelindaba Treaty will apply when sovereignty is ceded to the Government of Mauritius to (a) Diego Garcia as defined in Article 19 of the Agreement; and (b) the Chagos Archipelago beyond Diego Garcia as defined in paragraph 11(b) of Annex 1 of the Agreement.
The UK is not a Party to the Pelindaba Treaty, although it is a Party to Protocols I and II to that Treaty. Both the UK and Mauritius have ensured that all their respective international treaty obligations are compatible with the Agreement.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to section 21 of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of extending the period for Parliament to ratify the UK-Mauritius Treaty.
I refer the Rt. Honourable Member to my answer to question 47650.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to Article 1 of the document entitled UK/Mauritius: Agreement concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia (CS Mauritius No.1/2025), if he will set out the access to waters within the (a) 12 nautical miles zone; and (b) 24 nautical miles zone that (i) fisheries vessels and (ii) shipping will have; and what procedures will be used to grant vessels access.
The UK will have the right to manage the area up to 12 nautical miles around Diego Garcia for defence purposes. Between 12 and 24 nautical miles, no construction, installations, structures or sensors can be installed without the UK's agreement. Fishing and commercial shipping vessels will have the right of innocent passage within the territorial sea of the Chagos Archipelago, as described in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, which precludes use of force, weapons exercises, propaganda, launching of aircraft or military devices or interfering with communications systems.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when he will bring forward legislative proposals to implement the UK-Mauritius Treaty; and what legislation will be (a) amended and (b) revoked.
Section 5 of the Explanatory Memorandum sets out the process for the Treaty to be implemented.