British Indian Ocean Territory
Debate between Mark Francois and Seema Malhotra(1 week, 6 days ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Seema Malhotra
The right hon. Member could not have known it, but I was on the first line of a page of comments on that exact issue. I am sorry that he chose that moment to interrupt proceedings.
As I was saying, it is a matter of long-standing policy that we do not comment on operational procedures. The Conservatives know that and, of course, took the same approach in government. As the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, my hon. Friend the Member for Cardiff South and Penarth, told the Foreign Affairs Committee:
“We are confident that nothing in this treaty conflicts with our abilities to uphold international law, and to continue to operate the base as we do today.”
As Lord Coaker has—
Mr Mark Francois (Rayleigh and Wickford) (Con)
On that point, will the Minister give way?
Seema Malhotra
I will continue my remarks. It is as if the Conservatives cannot decide who is speaking from the Front Bench today.
As Lord Coaker told the other place in November, the UK-Mauritius agreement
“enables the continued operation of the base to its full capability.”
He said that we will continue to be able to
“deploy the full range of advanced military capabilities to Diego Garcia.”—[Official Report, House of Lords, 25 November 2025; Vol. 850, c. 1313.]
It is not just us; the agreement has been tested at the highest levels of the US security establishment under not one but two Administrations. They too were satisfied that it protects the full operation of the base. We have agreed with the Mauritian Government that nothing in the treaty conflicts with our respective commitments, and we are absolutely clear that we can continue to operate the base as we have done and as we do now.
Seema Malhotra
No, I have been very generous in giving way. I will continue with my remarks. [Interruption.] Sorry, what was that comment?