Asked by: Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they are continuing to hold talks with the government of Mauritius regarding the sovereignty of the British Indian Overseas territory.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Yes, talks with the Government of Mauritius continue. The UK's priority is to ensure the long term continued effective operation of the joint UK/US military base on Diego Garcia. Mauritius has also publicly committed to this goal.
Asked by: Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support persecuted Christians in West Africa.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is committed to defending Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) for all. We monitor the situation for religious and non-religious communities globally, including in Africa, and work with governments, including with the Nigerian Government to promote FoRB. The UK is a founding member of the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance (IRFBA), which is a government-level network committed to protecting and promoting FoRB, including raising awareness and conducting advocacy campaigns on prisoners of conscience. West African membership includes The Gambia, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo.
Asked by: Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the current status of the negotiations between the United Kingdom and the European Union in relation to Gibraltar.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government, working side-by-side with the Government of Gibraltar, is committed to concluding a UK-EU treaty in respect of Gibraltar as soon as possible. The latest round of UK-EU negotiations took place on 13 and 14 December, further discussions are planned in the coming weeks. The UK is steadfast in our support for Gibraltar and will not agree to anything that compromises sovereignty.