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Written Question
Chagos Islands: Sovereignty
Wednesday 29th April 2026

Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government when they most recently met the Commissioner for the British Indian Ocean Territory to discuss the settlement of Chagossians on Peros Banhos island.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

I refer the Noble Baroness to the answer provided in response to Questions HL16595-99 on 29 April.


Written Question
Commissioner for the British Indian Ocean Territory: Powers
Wednesday 29th April 2026

Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what are the powers of the Commissioner for the British Indian Overseas Territory.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

I refer the Noble Baroness to the answer provided in response to Questions HL16595-99 on 29 April.


Written Question
Commissioner for the British Indian Ocean Territory: Finance
Wednesday 29th April 2026

Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what is the budget for the Commissioner of the British Indian Overseas Territory.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

I refer the Noble Baroness to the answer provided in response to Questions HL16595-99 on 29 April.


Written Question
Commissioner for the British Indian Ocean Territory
Wednesday 29th April 2026

Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government to whom the Commissioner of British Indian Overseas Territory reports.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

I refer the Noble Baroness to the answer provided in response to Questions HL16595-99 on 29 April.


Written Question
British Indian Ocean Territory: Politics and Government
Wednesday 29th April 2026

Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government when they last discussed the administration of the British Indian Ocean Territory with the Commissioner of the British Indian Ocean Territory.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

I refer the Noble Baroness to the answer provided in response to Questions HL16595-99 on 29 April.


Written Question
Chagos Islands: Humanitarian Aid
Monday 27th April 2026

Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether a Minister authorised UK immigration officers and police to search the yacht No Excuse and seize supplies intended for inhabitants of the Chagos Islands on 11 April; and if so, which one.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

These are operational matters for the British Indian Overseas Territory (BIOT) Authority, discharged under the powers provided in the BIOT (Immigration) Order 2004.


Written Question
Chagos Islands: Humanitarian Aid
Monday 27th April 2026

Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what criteria was used by customs and immigration officers to decide what items should be confiscated from the yacht No Excuse on its way to the Chagos Islands on 11 April.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

These are operational matters for the British Indian Overseas Territory (BIOT) Authority, discharged under the powers provided in the BIOT (Immigration) Order 2004.


Written Question
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Mauritius
Monday 27th April 2026

Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office officials will be visiting Mauritius on 22 April; and what is the purpose of the visit.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

The UK Government keeps in regular contact with our counterparts in Mauritius regarding progress on the implementation of the agreement. We do not intend to provide a running commentary on these conversations.


Written Question
Chagos Islands: USA
Tuesday 10th February 2026

Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether their proposed arrangements for the military base at Diego Garcia meet the requirement in the 1966 agreement with the United States of America on the British Indian Ocean Territory that “the islands shall remain available to meet the possible defence needs of the two Governments for an indefinitely long period”.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

I refer the Noble Baroness to my answer of 22 December in response to Question HL12714.


Written Question
Somaliland: Recognition of States
Tuesday 27th January 2026

Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to recognising Somaliland as an independent state.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

It is the UK's long-standing position that the settlement of Somaliland's status is an issue for authorities in Mogadishu and Hargeisa to decide through a consultative process and dialogue, in line with the principles of the UN charter.