Asked by: Mark Francois (Conservative - Rayleigh and Wickford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an estimate of the projected financial commitments within the revised agreement with Mauritius on the Chagos Islands including adjustments for (a) inflation and (b) exchange rate fluctuations.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Once the treaty is signed it will be put before both Houses for scrutiny before ratification in the usual way.
Asked by: Mark Francois (Conservative - Rayleigh and Wickford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has withdrawn the veto on the compulsory jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice on disputes with countries that (a) are and (b) have been Commonwealth members.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The position around the International Court of Justice compulsory jurisdiction remains as per the UK's deceleration of 22 February 2017.
Asked by: Mark Francois (Conservative - Rayleigh and Wickford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much his Department has incurred in legal costs on the Chagos Islands since 5 July 2024.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
It is not possible to provide a single figure for the amount the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has incurred in legal costs on the Chagos Islands since 5 July 2024. Legal costs would include the costs of FCDO lawyers, who are paid salaries and do not charge by workstream. However, the FCDO has incurred £28,367.35 in external legal costs in relation to matters concerning the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands since 5 July 2024, including in respect of defending relevant litigation. There may be additional costs for January that have not yet been invoiced. The FCDO has also incurred external legal costs in respect of migration issues on Diego Garcia. As the FCDO is still to receive a number of invoices for these costs, it is not possible to provide an accurate figure at this time.
Asked by: Mark Francois (Conservative - Rayleigh and Wickford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what plans he has to bring forward legislative proposals to revoke the status of the British Indian Ocean Territories as British Overseas Territories.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The political agreement, reached between the UK and Mauritius in October 2024, will need to be underpinned by a Treaty which, once signed, will be made public and put before both Houses for scrutiny consistent with the obligations under the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act. Following signature, the Government intends to bring forward a Bill to make the necessary amendments to current legislation to implement the Treaty.
Asked by: Mark Francois (Conservative - Rayleigh and Wickford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has engaged legal counsel from Matrix Chambers on the UK’s sovereignty over the Chagos Islands.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Department has not engaged legal counsel from Matrix Chambers on the Chagos sovereignty question.
Asked by: Mark Francois (Conservative - Rayleigh and Wickford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of (a) the International Telecommunication Union and (b) other UN agencies ceasing to recognise UK sovereignty over British Indian Ocean Territory on (i) Gibraltar and (ii) other UK Overseas Territories.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
It is the Government's view that without a negotiated solution on the sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT), Mauritius would inevitably have pursued a campaign to obtain a legally binding judgment against the UK. We could expect a binding judgment that the UK was not sovereign over the British Indian Ocean Territory, to be applied by international organisations, including UN Specialised Agencies such as the International Telecommunication Union. This would have real-world impacts on the protection and security of the base including our ability to operate the electromagnetic spectrum undisturbed. Regarding impact on other Overseas Territories, BIOT is a unique case. No impact would be expected on other Overseas Territories as the situations are not comparable.
Asked by: Mark Francois (Conservative - Rayleigh and Wickford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 3 February to Question 25990 on Cabinet Office: British Indian Ocean Territory, if the will make it his policy to publish costs of the Prime Minister's Envoy before the conclusion of the agreement.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The publication of the costs of the Prime Minister's Envoy are part of wider policy on Ministerial Appointments and the decision is not contingent on the conclusion of the agreement. The timing of the decision will not therefore be linked to that of the agreement.
Asked by: Mark Francois (Conservative - Rayleigh and Wickford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he made an assessment of the potential merits of conducting a national security impact assessment on the negotiated agreement with Mauritius on the Chagos Islands.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
It has been our consistent priority to protect UK/US national security interests by ensuring the long-term effective and secure operation of the base on Diego Garcia. This agreement protects and secures those interests.
Asked by: Mark Francois (Conservative - Rayleigh and Wickford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make it his policy that the proposed leaseback for Diego Garcia is renewable.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The existing policy is, and will remain, that the agreement will have a duration of 99 years from entry into force, extendable with the agreement of both parties and the first right of refusal.
Asked by: Mark Francois (Conservative - Rayleigh and Wickford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the total cost of (a) travel and (b) accommodation was for the Special Envoy for the Chagos negotiations during those negotiations.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
It remains our intention to decide on publication of costs associated with Jonathan Powell's role as the Prime Minister's BIOT Envoy at a later date.