Written question asked by John Marek (Labour) on Thursday, 5 February 1998, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 10 February 1998. It was answered by Derek Fatchett (Labour) on Tuesday, 10 February 1998 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate he has made of the numbers of native Chagossians at present in exile due to the existence on the Chagos Archipelago of a USA military base. - Inc available figs.

Answer: Dr. Marek: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the numbers of native Chagossians at present in exile due to the existence on the Chagos Archipelago of a USA military base. [28829] Mr. Fatchett: According to our records approximately 1,200 `Ilois' left the British Indian Ocean Territory for Mauritius, and a `handful' for the Seychelles, between 1965 and 1973. We do not know how many are still alive.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 28829; 306 c146W
Session: 1997-98
Subjects: British Indian Ocean Territory Military bases USA Chagossians Emigration
Contains statistics: Yes