Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 22 November 2024 to Question 14333, from which Department's budget funding related to the proposed lease of the military base on Diego Garcia will be allocated; whether additional Treasury funding will be provided for that purpose; and whether she has had discussions with US counterparts on funding for the costs of the base.

The UK-Mauritius treaty enabling the continued operation of the base on Diego Garcia is still subject to finalisation and signature. The government will lay it before parliament for scrutiny and intends to introduce necessary implementation legislation before it will enter into force. No payments will be made until the treaty is legally binding.

Financial obligations arising from this agreement, including departmental budgetary responsibilities, will be managed responsibly within the government’s fiscal framework.

The military base on Diego Garcia is a joint UK-US facility and an essential part of the UK-US relationship. While the UK and Mauritius are the only signatories to the treaty, the US will continue to contribute to the operating costs of the base.