Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the Government's policy is on the resettlement of Chagossians to the Chagos Islands.

​On 16 November 2016, the Government announced its decision not to support the resettlement of Chagossians to the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) on the grounds of feasibility, defence and security interests, and cost to the British taxpayer. At the same time the Government announced a support package worth approximately £40million over ten years, the vast majority of which is intended to provide Chagossians in the UK, Mauritius and Seychelles with better life chances in the communities in which they currently live. As part of the package, the Government is also implementing an increased programme of heritage visits to BIOT. The next heritage visit by Chagossians is planned for later this year.