Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, under the 1966 UK–US Exchange of Notes concerning British Indian Ocean Territories, the US were consulted about the possibility of resettlement on Diego Garcia; and if so, what was their response.

The decision against resettlement has taken into account a wide range of views from all stakeholders, including the US. But security of the military facility is not the only factor in our decision against resettlement. Even if it were possible to work around the security implications of resettlement, the overwhelming practical challenges and costs of resettlement remain.