Asked by: Lord Callanan (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that opposition parties in Nigeria are being subjected to sustained litigation, judicial injunctions and candidate recognition disputes ahead of the 2027 presidential elections; and what discussions they have had with the government of Nigeria about the protection of full opposition participation.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The State Visit provided an important opportunity to strengthen the UK-Nigeria Strategic Partnership across growth, security, migration, and foreign policy. As the largest democracy in Africa, Nigeria has an important role to play in upholding democratic norms, including ensuring a free, fair and credible Presidential election in 2027.The UK is supporting key legislative and institutional reform processes in the Nigerian National Assembly, with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Judiciary and other key institutions to strengthen Nigeria's democracy. On the issue of violence against Christian communities, I refer the Hon Member to the written ministerial statement published on 27 November 2025 (HCWS1105).
Asked by: Lord Callanan (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the importance of free and fair presidential elections in Nigeria in 2027 to (1) Nigeria's democratic stability, (2) regional security in West Africa, and (3) the UK's strategic and economic interests; and what steps they are taking with the government of Nigeria to support those objectives.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The State Visit provided an important opportunity to strengthen the UK-Nigeria Strategic Partnership across growth, security, migration, and foreign policy. As the largest democracy in Africa, Nigeria has an important role to play in upholding democratic norms, including ensuring a free, fair and credible Presidential election in 2027.The UK is supporting key legislative and institutional reform processes in the Nigerian National Assembly, with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Judiciary and other key institutions to strengthen Nigeria's democracy. On the issue of violence against Christian communities, I refer the Hon Member to the written ministerial statement published on 27 November 2025 (HCWS1105).
Asked by: Lord Callanan (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the status of the Ponsonby Rule as a constitutional convention.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The Ponsonby Rule on treaty scrutiny was put on a statutory footing by the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010. The Act requires treaties subject to ratification to be laid before Parliament for 21 sitting days.
Asked by: Lord Callanan (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether any amendments to the 1966 Exchange of Notes between the UK and the USA in respect of the British Indian Ocean Territory will be subject to parliamentary approval under Part 2 of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
Once an updated agreement with the US has been finalised, we will set out the process for bringing that agreement into force, according to the appropriate procedures.
Asked by: Lord Callanan (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether ministers have instructed officials to act in accordance with the terms of the 2025 UK-Mauritius Agreement concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia as though it had been ratified.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
No.
Asked by: Lord Callanan (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether ministers will need to introduce primary legislation in order to implement the 2026 UK-EU treaty in respect of Gibraltar.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The treaty was published in draft on 26 February while legal teams complete final checks and translations. Once that process is complete, the final version will be laid in the UK Parliament for scrutiny before ratification, in accordance with the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010.
Asked by: Lord Callanan (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government by what date the 2026 UK-EU treaty in respect of Gibraltar will be formally laid before Parliament.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The treaty was published in draft on 26 February while legal teams complete final checks and translations. Once that process is complete, the final version will be laid in the UK Parliament for scrutiny before ratification, in accordance with the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010.
Asked by: Lord Callanan (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether it is their policy to inform Mauritius of any armed attack on a third State directly emanating from the base on Diego Garcia.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The UK-Mauritius Agreement has not yet entered into force, and as such standard operating protocols apply.
The requirement to inform a host nation about military action undertaken is a standard element in many such arrangements. However, once the agreement has entered into force it does not require us to notify Mauritius in advance.
Asked by: Lord Callanan (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what role the National Security Adviser has had in negotiations with the government of the United States of America in respect of amendments to the UK-US 1966 Exchange of Notes in respect of the British Indian Ocean Territory, since 20 January.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The UK Government is in regular contact with our counterparts in the United States and Mauritius regarding the implementation of the agreement, but we do not provide a running commentary on either the progress of these discussions or their participants.
Asked by: Lord Callanan (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether, in light of the President of the United States’ opposition to the UK-Mauritius Agreement concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia, they will share the Attorney General's legal advice on the status of the Chagos Archipelago with the United States.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
I refer the Noble Lord to the answer provided on 2 December 2025 in response to Question HL12208.