International Marine Protected Area: Sargasso Sea

Lord Bellingham Excerpts

Monday 6th July 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

Now that my noble friend asks me, I believe I am correct in saying that there were 12, 13 or 14 rounds of negotiations undertaken by the previous Conservative Government on the future of the Chagos Archipelago.

[Lord Bellingham (Con)]

Further to that question, surely the fact that 12 negotiating sessions went on shows that the last Government did not reach a deal because they could not. The Chagos Archipelago contains not one of the world’s most vital reef wildernesses but the world’s most vital reef wilderness. The question is: who is best placed to manage it? Ten prominent marine biologists have said that they do not trust that incredible wilderness in the hands of Mauritius, so surely the time has now come for the Government to abandon this discredited treaty.

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

Reaching viable agreements was not a strength of the previous Government. However, the fact that they had so many rounds of negotiation did speak to the fact that there was a problem which needed to be resolved. This Government came up with a viable proposition for its resolution. The problem remains, and it still needs to be resolved. Protection of the ocean around the archipelago is incredibly important, which is why we are working so intensively with Mauritius to ensure its protection.