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.

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.