Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment has been made of the response by the government of Mauritius to the MV Wakashio oil spill of 2020; and what records they hold of any assessment of this matter conducted in connection with negotiations over the future of the British Indian Ocean Territory, up to and including the date of this question.

Answered by Baroness Winterton of Doncaster - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Following the MV Wakashio oil spill, Mauritius undertook a review of its National Oil Spill Contingency Plan, drawing on lessons identified from the incident. The review was supported by international partners, including the UNDP and technical experts, and was intended to strengthen national preparedness and response arrangements for future oil-spill incidents. This was one of a range of factors considered by the Government in connection to the future environmental protection of the British Indian Ocean Territory during negotiations with Mauritius.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, if any, of the capacity and track record of the Government of Mauritius to manage marine protected areas, as part of the preparation, development and due diligence of the negotiations over the future of the British Indian Ocean Territory.

Answered by Lord Wood of Anfield - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Government considered a range of factors relevant to the future environmental and marine protection of the British Indian Ocean Territory during negotiations with Mauritius. Mauritius committed to ensure the marine environment would be effectively protected under a future Chagos Archipelago Marine Protected Area (MPA). Under the terms of the Agreement, the UK agreed it would support Mauritius in the establishment and management of any future MPA.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether British Overseas Territories citizens connected to the British Indian Ocean Territory are entitled to bring legal challenges before the courts on matters affecting their (1) citizenship status, (2) ancestral graves, and (3) place of birth, where those matters concern British sovereign territory

Answered by Baroness Winterton of Doncaster - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Legal challenges concerning decisions affecting the British Indian Ocean Territory may be brought before the courts in accordance with the applicable legal framework and procedures. As with any litigation, it is for the courts to determine questions of jurisdiction and the merits of individual cases.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what expenditure has been incurred in legal work relating to the Chagos islands or the Chagossian people in the last two years.

Answered by Baroness Winterton of Doncaster - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

It is not possible to provide a single figure for this expenditure. Government lawyers are salaried and do not charge their time by individual workstream. There is also no centrally held figure for external legal costs across government relating to the Chagos Islands or Chagossian people over the last two years.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what is the appropriate forum for legal challenges brought by Chagossians about decisions affecting the British Indian Ocean Territory.

Answered by Baroness Winterton of Doncaster - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Legal challenges concerning decisions affecting the British Indian Ocean Territory may be brought before the courts in accordance with the applicable legal framework and procedures. As with any litigation, it is for the courts to determine questions of jurisdiction and the merits of individual cases.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many British citizens are awaiting compensation for the seizure of their land by the government of Zimbabwe.

Answered by Baroness Winterton of Doncaster - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK Government does not hold comprehensive information on the number of British citizens awaiting compensation following the seizure of land in Zimbabwe. Responsibility for compensating those affected by Zimbabwe's Fast Track Land Reform Programme rests with the Government of Zimbabwe.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Wood of Anfield on 27 July 2026 (HL1989), what were the numbers of claims taken from such systems (1) in the previous three years, and (2) to date in the current year.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office publishes the number of asylum claims raised by nationality, and the number of people claiming asylum by prior route, by nationality in the Asy_D01 and Asy_D01a tables available here: Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK

Asylum seekers arrive in the UK through a range of routes before claiming asylum. In the year ending June 2026, 41% had previously entered on a visa or other leave, 40% arrived by small boat, 12% arrived via other illegal entry routes, and 8% entered via other routes or could not be matched to a route of entry.

Information on countries asylum seekers travelled from before reaching the UK this information is not published. It is held as “free text” on individual case files and can only be extracted manually at disproportionate cost.

The number of people claiming asylum in the previous three years, and to date in the current year is shown below:

Source: Asy_D01 Asylum claims raised, by nationality, age, sex, UASC, applicant type, and location of claim.

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Found: BARONESS HOEY _ After Clause 16, insert the following new Clause— “Equality impact assessment prior

Found: BARONESS HOEY _ After Clause 16, insert the following new Clause— “Equality impact assessment prior

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Found: BARONESS HOEY _ After Clause 16, insert the following new Clause— “Equality impact assessment prior

Found: BARONESS HOEY _ After Clause 16, insert the following new Clause— “Equality impact assessment prior

Found: BARONESS HOEY _ After Clause 16, insert the following new Clause— “Equality impact assessment prior

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Found: BARONESS HOEY _ After Clause 16, insert the following new Clause— “Equality impact assessment prior

Found: BARONESS HOEY _ After Clause 16, insert the following new Clause— “Equality impact assessment prior

Found: BARONESS HOEY _ After Clause 84, insert the following new Clause— “Equality impact assessment prior

Found: BARONESS HOEY _ After Clause 84, insert the following new Clause— “Equality impact assessment prior

Found: BARONESS HOEY _ After Clause 84, insert the following new Clause— “Equality impact assessment prior

Found: BARONESS HOEY _ After Clause 84, insert the following new Clause— “Equality impact assessment prior

Found: BARONESS HOEY _ After Clause 84, insert the following new Clause— “Equality impact assessment prior

Found: BARONESS HOEY _ After Clause 84, insert the following new Clause— “Equality impact assessment prior

Found: BARONESS HOEY _ After Clause 84, insert the following new Clause— “Equality impact assessment prior

Found: BARONESS HOEY _ After Clause 84, insert the following new Clause— “Equality impact assessment prior

Found: BARONESS HOEY _ After Clause 84, insert the following new Clause— “Equality impact assessment prior

Found: BARONESS HOEY _ After Clause 84, insert the following new Clause— “Equality impact assessment prior