Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Saharawi authorities have made enquiries about the activities of the RRS James Cook in their territorial waters; if so when they will receive replies; and whether scientific data obtained by the vessel will be shared with the Saharawi authorities, pursuant to the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Sahrawi representatives contacted the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) on 3 March 2017 about the work of RRS James Cook in the eastern Atlantic. The UK regards the status of Western Sahara as undetermined and supports UN-led efforts to find a mutually acceptable solution to all parties, which provides self-determination for the Sahrawi people. As a non-self governing territory under Article 73 of the UN Charter, rights under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea should be provided by the administering power and for the benefit of the people of the territory with a view to promoting their well being and development. The NOC will share information with Morocco, who are the de facto administering power.