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Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 09 Sep 2025
Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill

"My right hon. Friend the Member for Rayleigh and Wickford (Mr Francois) is right, but the existing position goes even further. Is my right hon. and learned Friend aware of the written answer from the Government on 7 February this year:

“Individual countries, not the ITU, make their own sovereign …..."

John Whittingdale - View Speech

View all John Whittingdale (Con - Maldon) contributions to the debate on: Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill

Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 09 Sep 2025
Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill

"It had already been rolled back. The hon. Gentleman is right that the last Government began discussions because Mauritius expressed a view. However, that was on the basis that a mutually beneficial arrangement could be reached. It was concluded that such an agreement could not be reached, and on that …..."
John Whittingdale - View Speech

View all John Whittingdale (Con - Maldon) contributions to the debate on: Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill

Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 09 Sep 2025
Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill

"He is nodding. He gave me a very firm assurance that that was not the case. That is of some reassurance, but it does not go far enough. The fact that we are no longer able to carry out actions from our own base without then having to notify Mauritius, …..."
John Whittingdale - View Speech

View all John Whittingdale (Con - Maldon) contributions to the debate on: Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill

Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 09 Sep 2025
Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill

"I shall give way to my right hon. Friend, who is an expert on these matters...."
John Whittingdale - View Speech

View all John Whittingdale (Con - Maldon) contributions to the debate on: Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill

Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 09 Sep 2025
Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill

"I understand that that is part of the treaty, but I hope that when the Minister winds up, he will address the point made by my right hon. Friend the Member for New Forest East (Sir Julian Lewis) that the requirement to “expeditiously inform” Mauritius, even after an operation, presumably …..."
John Whittingdale - View Speech

View all John Whittingdale (Con - Maldon) contributions to the debate on: Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill

Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 09 Sep 2025
Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill

"My right hon. Friend makes a fair point. A requirement for us to tell the Mauritians what has been happening from the base is exactly what might influence decisions as to its use for operations of the kind he describes. The Minister gave evidence to the Committee on this point …..."
John Whittingdale - View Speech

View all John Whittingdale (Con - Maldon) contributions to the debate on: Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill

Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 09 Sep 2025
Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill

"It is a pleasure to take part in the debate. The Foreign Affairs Committee, on which I sit—I welcome two of my Labour colleagues from the Committee and my hon. Friend the Member for Chester South and Eddisbury (Aphra Brandreth) to the debate—has had the opportunity to question the Minister, …..."
John Whittingdale - View Speech

View all John Whittingdale (Con - Maldon) contributions to the debate on: Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill

Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 09 Sep 2025
Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill

"If I might just answer my hon. Friend before doing so. Admiral Lord West has immense experience and knowledge. If the Defence Committee should decide to look at this, it might well ask him to give evidence on the basis of his considerable experience in the area...."
John Whittingdale - View Speech

View all John Whittingdale (Con - Maldon) contributions to the debate on: Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill

Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 09 Sep 2025
Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill

"My hon. Friend is absolutely right—..."
John Whittingdale - View Speech

View all John Whittingdale (Con - Maldon) contributions to the debate on: Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill

Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 09 Sep 2025
Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill

"I cannot answer the hon. Gentleman specifically on that issue, but I can tell him that it has been absolutely clear that whatever the UNCLOS opinion is, it is not binding on this country. We will read with interest its view, but it is not one that we are necessarily …..."
John Whittingdale - View Speech

View all John Whittingdale (Con - Maldon) contributions to the debate on: Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill