Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the cost to the public purse was of the recent search of a vessel with supplies for the Chagos Islands; and whether UK-based officials travelled to assist with this search.

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the statement I made to the House on 13 April and the answer given on 27 April to question HL16223, and the answers I provided to questions raised in response, except for matters of ongoing litigation, where I am unable to comment at this time.