Written questions by Patel.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when Ministers in her Department next plan to meet their Mauritian counterparts.

I refer the Rt Hon Member back to the answer I gave her on 22 September in response to Question 75282.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when her Department agreed with Mauritius that the UK would not be entitled to exercise sovereign rights and authorities with respect to Diego Garcia.

I refer the Rt Hon Member back to the answer I gave her on 22 September in response to Question 75282. 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. The agreement robustly protects the national security of the UK and our allies.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of China's Gray Zone activities in (a) Mauritius, (b) the African continent and (c) the Indo-Pacific region on UK interests; and whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of those activities after UK-Mauritius Treaty comes into effect.

We are well aware of the tactics China have deployed in various regions, and these were taken into full consideration when the UK-Mauritius Treaty was being negotiated. This is one of the reasons that we ensured robust security provisions in the treaty. Both parties have committed to cooperate to prevent the base at Diego Garcia being undermined and to close consultation on any security concerns.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will publish all the estimates he received on the financial costs of the UK-Mauritius Treaty from the Government Actuary's Department since 5 July 2024.

The cost of the Diego Garcia military base agreement in today's money is £101 million while the net present value over 99 years is £3.4 billion. These figures have been verified by the Government Actuary's Department and draw on long-established methodology to account for long-term projects. Full details are in the Explanatory Memorandum which was laid alongside the Treaty.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Minister for the Overseas Territories' answer to Q13 of the oral evidence session with the Foreign Affairs Committee meeting on 23 June 2025, when he will publish the costings of the financial implications of the UK-Mauritius Treaty.

I refer the Right Honourable Member to the answer to question 66660.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer given 3 September 2025 to Questions 69773 on Chagos Islands: Marine Protected Areas, on what dates implementation talks have taken place since 22 May 2025; and which (a) ministers and (b) officials were present at those meetings.

As we have consistently said, we are not going to provide a commentary on the negotiations, nor our implementation talks. The final, agreed Treaty has been laid in Parliament.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when he will respond to the House of Lords International Agreements Committee's report entitled UK-Mauritius Agreement on the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia, HL 146, published on 25 June 2025.

I refer the Right Honourable Member to the answer to question 75385. The response to the House of Lords International Agreements Committee report will be published shortly.Ahead of ratification, the Government will make a ministerial Statement in both Houses providing a factual update on eligibility for resettlement and the modalities of the trust fund. This will enable further discussion in a proper manner.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, on what date he agreed to remove the provision to provide the UK with a unilateral right to extend the 99-year lease for the use of Diego Garcia from the draft UK-Mauritius Treaty.

As we have consistently said, we are not going to provide a commentary on the negotiations, nor our implementation talks. The final, agreed Treaty has been laid in Parliament.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to paragraph 49 of the House of Lords International Agreements Committee report on the UK-Mauritius Agreement on the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia, published on 25 June 2025, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the Chagossian Trust Fund.

I refer the Right Honourable Member to the answer to question 75385. The response to the House of Lords International Agreements Committee report will be published shortly.Ahead of ratification, the Government will make a ministerial Statement in both Houses providing a factual update on eligibility for resettlement and the modalities of the trust fund. This will enable further discussion in a proper manner.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department maintains a risk register of the UK-Mauritius Treaty over the future sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of activities by the Government of China in Mauritius on (a) future UK-Mauritius relations and (b) the future operations of the UK-Mauritius Treaty.

The agreement between the UK and Mauritius secures the important UK-US military base on Diego Garcia, and is backed by our 5 Eyes partners, including the United States of America. This government secured all necessary safeguards within the treaty, including a prohibition on other foreign security forces, civilian or military - including those of China - from operating or otherwise establishing themselves on the outer islands. I refer the Rt. Hon Lady to the many answers she has received on this topic in the House and in answer to her previous questions.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to Article 5 of the treaty entitled UK/Mauritius: Agreement concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia (CS Mauritius No.1/2025), when he last discussed with his Mauritian counterpart the future of the Marine Protected Area around the Chagos Archipelago; what discussions he has had with his Mauritian counterpart on the potential future fisheries opportunities in the waters of the Chagos Archipelago; what technical expertise the UK Government has provided to the Government of Mauritius on the future of the Marine Protected Areas around the Chagos Archipelago since 22 May 2025; whether the ODA budget will be used to provide the resources necessary to fulfil the UK’s obligations under Article 5 to provide support and assistance to Mauritius for the establishment and management of the Marine Protected Area in the Chagos Archipelago; and whether he has discussed with his Mauritian counterpart the (a) Mauritian domestic processes to establish a Marine Protected Area around the Chagos Archipelago and (b) the timescale within which the Government of Mauritius anticipate establishing a Marine Protected Area.

Prime Minister Ramgoolam has reaffirmed Mauritius' support for a Chagos Marine Protected Area (MPA), including most recently in his conversation with the then Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs at the Oceans summit in Nice on 9 June. UK support and expertise for MPA establishment is part of discussions with Mauritius about implementation of the Treaty. We do not intend to provide a running commentary on these discussions, but, as per the answer to the Hon Member's question 64024, the UK will not be making any additional direct payments to Mauritius as part of this activity.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with Prime Minister Ramgoolam of Mauritius proposals to issue (a) fisheries and (b) trawler licences for the Chagos Archipelago.

The UK Government continues to engage with Mauritius on the parameters, and support the establishment of, the proposed Mauritian Marine Protected Area. The terms of this support and assistance will be agreed in a separate process which is already underway.

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, 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, 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 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.