Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Wednesday 3rd April 2019 Ministerial Corrections

Topical Questions

The following is an extract from Foreign and Commonwealth Office Topical Questions on Tuesday 2 April 2019.

[Patrick Grady (Glasgow North) (SNP)]

How does ignoring or dismissing the International Court of Justice ruling on the Chagos islands enhance the United Kingdom’s reputation as a soft power superpower or uphold the international rules-based order?

[Sir Alan Duncan]

First, it was not a ruling; it was an intermediate decision and non-binding. We are of course in discussions with Mauritius, but we fully uphold our right to take the position we have taken over many years.

[Official Report, 2 April 2019, Vol. 657, c. 933.]

Letter of correction from the Minister for Europe and the Americas, the right hon. Member for Rutland and Melton (Sir Alan Duncan):

An error has been identified in the response I gave to the hon. Member for Glasgow North (Patrick Grady).

The correct response should have been:

[Sir Alan Duncan]

First, it was not a ruling; it was an advisory opinion and non-binding. We are of course in discussions with Mauritius, but we fully uphold our right to take the position we have taken over many years.