Opposition day on Wednesday, 26 February 2025, in the House of Commons, led by Priti Patel. The answering member was Anneliese Dodds.

British Indian Ocean Territory

Fifth Opposition day debate (part two). Motion that his House regrets the reported multi-billion pound cost of the UK-Mauritius deal; notes the risk the deal presents to the UK's strategic interests; further notes that it was a policy choice, not a legal necessity, and the concerns held by Chagossians over the Government's failure to engage comprehensively with them; and calls on the Government to— (1) lay before this House a chronology of the negotiations between the UK Government and the Government of Mauritius, since 4 July 2024; (2) confirm whether the account of Prime Minister Ramgoolam given to the Mauritius National Assembly on 4 February 2025 is correct that (a) there has been a change in the sovereignty arrangements over Diego Garcia from those previously agreed, (b) changes have been made to the terms of the lease on Diego Garcia, and (c) changes have been made to the costs of the deal since it was first agreed and announced in the UK-Mauritius joint statement on 3 October 2024; (3) confirm from which departmental budgets the costs of this deal will come and what they will be, including whether any of the proposed increase in defence spending, as announced by the Prime Minister on 25 February, will be used to pay for this; (4) explain what involvement the Attorney General has had with this deal; (5) set out the negotiating objectives established by the Prime Minister's Special Envoy for BIOT negotiations and the reasons the Government sought to accelerate negotiations and conclude them before the Mauritian elections. Closure motion agreed to on question. Main question negatived on division (147 to 298).

Secondary information

Type: Parliamentary proceeding
Reference: 762 cc861-902
Session: 2024-26
Department: Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
Procedure: Closure motions; Proxy voting
Chamber / Committee: House of Commons chamber
Related items: Business of the House (Today)
Wednesday, 26 February 2025
Parliamentary proceedings
House of Commons
Proceeding contributions: Mark Francois | 762 c867 (Link to this contribution)
Will the Minister give way?; Andrew Mitchell | 762 c862 (Link to this contribution)
Will my right hon. Friend give way?; Andrew Mitchell | 762 c862 (Link to this contribution)
Let me help the confused Liberal Democrat Member. I was in the Foreign Office during the whole of...; Anneliese Dodds | 762 cc877-881 (Link to this contribution)
What I have said is that there is clear risk to critical functions of that base on Diego Garcia b...; Caroline Nokes | 762 c881 (Link to this contribution)
I call the Liberal Democrat spokesperson.
6.51 pm; Catherine West | 762 cc894-8 (Link to this contribution)
As the right hon. Member is aware, given his long background in intelligence, the lack of legal c...; John Slinger | 762 c898 (Link to this contribution)
Does my hon. Friend the Minister agree that it is somewhat unfortunate that, after some consensus...; Catherine West | 762 c898 (Link to this contribution)
I thank my hon. Friend for his intervention.
I will conclude our debate—I am looking at you...; Priti Patel | 762 c862 (Link to this contribution)
I cannot speak to the hon. Member’s confusion, but let us be clear that it is not the Conservativ...; Priti Patel | 762 c862 (Link to this contribution)
Of course I give way.; Priti Patel | 762 c862 (Link to this contribution)
My hon. Friend is absolutely right. This is a critical time for our two countries when it comes t...; Caroline Nokes | 762 c862 (Link to this contribution)
Order. Before I call the Minister, I must inform the House there will have to be an immediate fiv...; Anneliese Dodds | 762 c862 (Link to this contribution)
I am grateful to the right hon. Member for Witham (Priti Patel) for bringing this Opposition deba...; Caroline Nokes | 762 cc861-849 (Link to this contribution)
I advise the House that Mr Speaker has not selected the amendment in the name of the Liberal Demo...; Priti Patel | 762 c849 (Link to this contribution)
I beg to move,
That this House regrets the reported multi-billion pound cost of the UK-Maur...; Mike Martin | 762 c849 (Link to this contribution)
I am a little confused—[Interruption.] If the Conservative party wants to take back Tunbridge Wel...; Priti Patel | 762 cc862-3 (Link to this contribution)
My right hon. Friend is fast-forwarding to some of my wider remarks, but he is absolutely right. ...; 762 c863 (Link to this contribution)
Not qualified lawyers.; Priti Patel | 762 c863 (Link to this contribution)
If I may caveat my remarks, unlike those unqualified, pretend lawyers—not even actual lawyers—Con...; Jeremy Wright | 762 c863 (Link to this contribution)
Does my right hon. Friend agree that those who are led by lawyers—there is nothing wrong with tha...; Priti Patel | 762 cc851-864 (Link to this contribution)
My right hon. and learned Friend absolutely speaks sense on this issue and that is exactly why I ...; Iain Duncan Smith | 762 c864 (Link to this contribution)
I just wanted to prompt my right hon. Friend to pursue one other matter, which is quite important...; Priti Patel | 762 c864 (Link to this contribution)
My right hon. Friend is spot on and makes a point that I have made. There are people—judges in pa...; Julian Lewis | 762 c864 (Link to this contribution)
On that point, did my right hon. Friend see the report in The Daily Telegraph on 26 February that...; Priti Patel | 762 c864 (Link to this contribution)
I did read that report. I have to say that that is exactly why we questioned the deal. It is the ...; Oliver Dowden | 762 c865 (Link to this contribution)
My right hon. Friend makes an excellent point. The attitude of the Government of the United State...; Priti Patel | 762 c865 (Link to this contribution)
My right hon. Friend is absolutely right. It is shameful, because these are exactly the questions...; Luke Evans | 762 c865 (Link to this contribution)
This was compounded even further only yesterday, when the statement was handed to the Leader of t...; Priti Patel | 762 cc853-866 (Link to this contribution)
My hon. Friend is absolutely right. I am afraid that the Government need to reflect on their own ...; John Hayes | 762 c866 (Link to this contribution)
My right hon. Friend’s point is not merely semantic, because in international law—which I know ho...; Priti Patel | 762 c867 (Link to this contribution)
My right hon. Friend is absolutely correct. Sovereignty matters, and the Minister could not admit...; Iain Duncan Smith | 762 c867 (Link to this contribution)
The reality is that the present Prime Minister of Mauritius has publicly stated—by the way, he al...; Priti Patel | 762 c867 (Link to this contribution)
My right hon. Friend is absolutely correct, and I am afraid it shows the lack of commitment to ev...; Desmond Swayne | 762 c867 (Link to this contribution)
Is my right hon. Friend aware that there is already a campaign, led by local celebrities in Mauri...; Priti Patel | 762 c867 (Link to this contribution)
My right hon. Friend makes an important point, and that is why we on the Opposition side of the H...; Oliver Dowden | 762 c854 (Link to this contribution)
This issue of sovereignty is crucial. First, it is not about restoring sovereignty to Mauritius; ...; Priti Patel | 762 c854 (Link to this contribution)
My right hon. Friend is absolutely right, and the Government seem to have a complete disregard fo...; Bernard Jenkin | 762 c854 (Link to this contribution)
Will my right hon. Friend give way?; Priti Patel | 762 cc854-868 (Link to this contribution)
I will give way shortly.
We also know from the Mauritius Prime Minister that the lease exte...; Richard Holden | 762 c868 (Link to this contribution)
My right hon. Friend makes an incredibly important point about how the Government are giving this...; Priti Patel | 762 c868 (Link to this contribution)
My right hon. Friend is absolutely right. I have already made the point—Madam Deputy Speaker, you...; Caroline Johnson | 762 c869 (Link to this contribution)
What my right hon. Friend describes is truly shocking. This Labour Government are going to give a...; Priti Patel | 762 c869 (Link to this contribution)
There is plenty of speculation as to why the Government wish to go down this course, and it is no...; Luke Evans | 762 c869 (Link to this contribution)
The Defence Secretary was asked this morning on LBC where the funding was coming from. He said:; Priti Patel | 762 c869 (Link to this contribution)
I thank my hon. Friend for that essential question, which remains unanswered. At the end of the d...; Nigel Farage | 762 c870 (Link to this contribution)
What is agreed universally is that the cost is £9 billion—the Government do not question that at ...; Priti Patel | 762 cc870-856 (Link to this contribution)
The bottom line in all this is that there is no transparency at all from the Government. We will ...; Andrew Murrison | 762 c856 (Link to this contribution)
Will my right hon. Friend give way?; Priti Patel | 762 c856 (Link to this contribution)
I will give way one more time.; Andrew Murrison | 762 c856 (Link to this contribution)
She is being very generous in giving way. Does she agree that the Government stand accused of per...; Priti Patel | 762 cc856-7 (Link to this contribution)
My right hon. Friend is absolutely right. It is completely duplicitous. That is no way for any Go...; Bernard Jenkin | 762 c871 (Link to this contribution)
Will my right hon. Friend give way?; Priti Patel | 762 c861 (Link to this contribution)
I am sorry, Madam Deputy Speaker, but I did say that I would give way to my hon. Friend.; Bernard Jenkin | 762 c861 (Link to this contribution)
I hope my right hon. Friend will forgive me if she was coming to this point in her final words, b...; 762 c863 (Link to this contribution); Anneliese Dodds | 762 cc863-872 (Link to this contribution)
I will make progress and then I will be very happy to take interventions.
The status quo is...; 762 c872 (Link to this contribution); Anneliese Dodds | 762 c872 (Link to this contribution)
Claims that there were no legal necessities to negotiate are absolutely wrong; they misunderstand...; Iain Duncan Smith | 762 c872 (Link to this contribution)
rose—; Anneliese Dodds | 762 c865 (Link to this contribution)
The 2019 International Court of Justice advisory opinion might be the most eye-catching of the le...; Iain Duncan Smith | 762 c865 (Link to this contribution)
Is the Minister going to give way or not?; Anneliese Dodds | 762 c865 (Link to this contribution)
I will happily give way to the right hon. Gentleman.; Iain Duncan Smith | 762 c867 (Link to this contribution)
Okay, excellent. I want to bring the right hon. Lady back to her statement that there was an impe...; Anneliese Dodds | 762 c867 (Link to this contribution)
The right hon. Gentleman is well aware that of course we know about that ICJ carve-out in relatio...; Anneliese Dodds | 762 c867 (Link to this contribution)
No, I will make progress.; Mark Francois | 762 c867 (Link to this contribution)
Will the Minister give way?; Anneliese Dodds | 762 c873 (Link to this contribution)
No, I said that I would make progress.; Caroline Nokes | 762 c873 (Link to this contribution)
Order. As the shadow Minister will know, the Minister is not obliged to take interventions from t...; Anneliese Dodds | 762 c868 (Link to this contribution)
Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. Let me explain to Conservative Members, because I feel they are ...; Jeremy Wright | 762 c868 (Link to this contribution)
The right hon. Lady is absolutely entitled to explain the Government’s position, but if her argum...; Anneliese Dodds | 762 c869 (Link to this contribution)
I note that when the right hon. and learned Gentleman talked about the potential for real-world c...; Mark Francois | 762 c869 (Link to this contribution)
Will the Minister give way on exactly that point?; Anneliese Dodds | 762 c869 (Link to this contribution)
No, I will make progress.; Mark Francois | 762 c874 (Link to this contribution)
Will the Minister give way?; Anneliese Dodds | 762 c874 (Link to this contribution)
No, I will keep speaking, as is my right. Without a negotiated solution with Mauritius, it would ...; Caroline Nokes | 762 c874 (Link to this contribution)
Order. I will not have this level of shouting at the Minister. I will hear her, and of course, it...; Anneliese Dodds | 762 c874 (Link to this contribution)
Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker.
As I was saying, in that kind of situation, we would unfor...; Mark Francois | 762 c874 (Link to this contribution)
This is absolutely risible.; Anneliese Dodds | 762 c871 (Link to this contribution)
I agree with the chuntering; it is risible that the Conservatives undertook 11 rounds of negotiat...; Lewis Cocking | 762 c871 (Link to this contribution)
I am grateful to the Minister for giving way on that point, because she is at risk of not necessa...; Anneliese Dodds | 762 c871 (Link to this contribution)
I find the approach of Opposition Members to this subject to be very confusing. [Hon. Members: “S...; Tom Tugendhat | 762 c871 (Link to this contribution)
rose—; Caroline Johnson | 762 c871 (Link to this contribution)
rose—; Anneliese Dodds | 762 c875 (Link to this contribution)
I am happy to give way to the hon. Member for Sleaford and North Hykeham (Dr Johnson).; Caroline Johnson | 762 c875 (Link to this contribution)
Unlike some of my esteemed colleagues, I am not a learned lawyer or a former Attorney General, bu...; Anneliese Dodds | 762 c872 (Link to this contribution)
I think that the ordinary general public would be pretty concerned about a situation in which we ...; Mark Francois | 762 c872 (Link to this contribution)
On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. I apologise, but to prevent the Minister from inadvert...; Caroline Nokes | 762 c872 (Link to this contribution)
Order. Mr Francois, you know that you must not refer to Members by their name.; Mark Francois | 762 c872 (Link to this contribution)
We have it from the telecoms Minister that the International Telecommunication Union has no power...; Anneliese Dodds | 762 c872 (Link to this contribution)
rose—; Caroline Nokes | 762 c872 (Link to this contribution)
Order. I think I will respond to the point of order first. The shadow Minister will know that tha...; Anneliese Dodds | 762 cc872-6 (Link to this contribution)
I do not want to embarrass the right hon. Gentleman, but he surely understands the difference wit...; Tom Tugendhat | 762 c876 (Link to this contribution)
rose—; Luke Evans | 762 c876 (Link to this contribution)
rose—; Anneliese Dodds | 762 c876 (Link to this contribution)
I give way to the hon. Member for Hinckley and Bosworth.; Luke Evans | 762 c873 (Link to this contribution)
I have a feeling that if I had an invisibility cloak like my right hon. Friend the Member for Ton...; Anneliese Dodds | 762 cc873-7 (Link to this contribution)
I am more than happy to go into the financial question in a few moments, because this too, sadly,...; Tom Tugendhat | 762 c877 (Link to this contribution)
Will the Minister give way?; Anneliese Dodds | 762 c877 (Link to this contribution)
I am happy to do so.; 762 c877 (Link to this contribution)
Hurray!; Tom Tugendhat | 762 c877 (Link to this contribution)
I appreciate that the Minister’s budget has been cut so much that she is now put on suicide watch...; Anneliese Dodds | 762 c874 (Link to this contribution)
I know that the right hon. Gentleman is honourable, and he may wish to reflect on his opening rem...; James Cleverly | 762 c874 (Link to this contribution)
I genuinely appreciate the opportunity that the Minister has given me to speak about this matter,...; Anneliese Dodds | 762 c874 (Link to this contribution)
I know that the right hon. Gentleman understands full well that this is because of the legal unce...; James Cleverly | 762 c874 (Link to this contribution)
rose—; Anneliese Dodds | 762 cc874-8 (Link to this contribution)
No, I will not take another intervention from the right hon. Gentleman. My response was very clea...; James Cartlidge | 762 c878 (Link to this contribution)
Why?; Anneliese Dodds | 762 c878 (Link to this contribution)
I was just about to come on to that. There have been some changes to enable a limited element of ...; James Cartlidge | 762 c878 (Link to this contribution)
Will the Minister give way or tell us how much?; Anneliese Dodds | 762 cc878-5 (Link to this contribution)
I will continue to explain why the Conservatives cannot compare speculative figures for the lifet...; Bernard Jenkin | 762 c879 (Link to this contribution)
I have to say that the Minister is putting up a very loyal and heroic defence of her Government’s...; Anneliese Dodds | 762 c879 (Link to this contribution)
I do appreciate the kind tone in which the hon. Gentleman expressed his remarks. However, I would...; Calvin Bailey | 762 c879 (Link to this contribution)
What was the point of the Conservatives starting a negotiation if there was no intent to reach an...; Anneliese Dodds | 762 c879 (Link to this contribution)
I could not have said it better myself. That is indeed the nub of the point.
I want to info...; Al Pinkerton | 762 c879 (Link to this contribution)
I am struck by the fact that it has taken nearly an hour of discussion and debate in this Chamber...; Caroline Nokes | 762 c879 (Link to this contribution)
Order. I am sure the hon. Gentleman is getting to his point, but interventions really should be s...; Al Pinkerton | 762 c879 (Link to this contribution)
I would simply ask the Minister: what role have Chagossians played in the negotiations thus far? ...; Anneliese Dodds | 762 c880 (Link to this contribution)
The hon. Gentleman is right to raise this issue. Of course, he will understand that the negotiati...; Jeremy Corbyn | 762 c880 (Link to this contribution)
Will the Minister for a moment acknowledge the hardship and horrors that all Chagossians have bee...; Anneliese Dodds | 762 c880 (Link to this contribution)
I will not be invited down any route by the Conservative party. We all know where that leads—to r...; Julian Lewis | 762 c880 (Link to this contribution)
rose—; Anneliese Dodds | 762 c880 (Link to this contribution)
I will take one last intervention.; Julian Lewis | 762 c877 (Link to this contribution)
The Minister is putting up a gallant fight in a very difficult situation. For the avoidance of do...; Calum Miller | 762 cc881-2 (Link to this contribution)
Before I address the position of the Government, I feel obliged to respond to the comments of the...; Calvin Bailey | 762 cc882-3 (Link to this contribution)
The Conservative party pretends to recognise the serious threats that we face, but bringing forwa...; Iain Duncan Smith | 762 cc883-4 (Link to this contribution)
We are short of time and other Members wish to speak, so I will try to be as brief as possible. I...; Anneliese Dodds | 762 c884 (Link to this contribution)
I have made that very clear previously. That carve-out for the Commonwealth is very clear within ...; Iain Duncan Smith | 762 c884 (Link to this contribution)
If she is not careful, I might ask her to share a drink with me later. [Interruption.] I know, it...; Kieran Mullan | 762 c878 (Link to this contribution)
Does my right hon. Friend agree that it is ironic that we are apparently willing to give in to a ...; Iain Duncan Smith | 762 cc878-885 (Link to this contribution)
The interesting point, which I raise because the hon. Member for Leyton and Wanstead said that we...; Lillian Jones | 762 cc885-6 (Link to this contribution)
I am pleased to speak in the debate. However, it is disappointing that His Majesty’s Opposition f...; Gagan Mohindra | 762 cc886-7 (Link to this contribution)
I thank Nick Coombes from my office for helping me draft a long speech, most of which I will not ...; Josh Fenton-Glynn | 762 c887 (Link to this contribution)
I welcome the hon. Member’s interest in the Chagos islands and his desire for detail. It is obvio...; Gagan Mohindra | 762 cc887-8 (Link to this contribution)
I have not been to that part of the world but, as the new Member will learn the longer he is in t...; Louise Sandher-Jones | 762 c888 (Link to this contribution)
The fact that the Opposition have picked this topic again is very symbolic to me. They have decid...; Gagan Mohindra | 762 c888 (Link to this contribution)
I am a bit confused, once again. I thought this debate was about the British Indian Ocean Territo...; Louise Sandher-Jones | 762 cc888-0 (Link to this contribution)
The hon. Gentleman need not worry. The night is young, and I will come to that.
Perhaps we ...; Josh Fenton-Glynn | 762 c880 (Link to this contribution)
I pay tribute to my gallant and hon. Friend for her service and pay tribute to my hon. Friend the...; Louise Sandher-Jones | 762 c880 (Link to this contribution)
My hon. Friend is exactly right. Those in the armed forces would have liked to have heard about t...; Tom Tugendhat | 762 c889 (Link to this contribution)
I am grateful to the hon. Lady for giving way—not only an hon. Lady but an honourable comrade, as...; Louise Sandher-Jones | 762 c889 (Link to this contribution)
I thank the right hon. Gentleman for his opinion and remind him that this is the largest increase...; David Reed | 762 c889 (Link to this contribution)
Does the hon. and gallant Member not think that her constituents have a right to know how much th...; Louise Sandher-Jones | 762 cc889-890 (Link to this contribution)
There have been many questions, as recorded in Hansard, about the projected cost, and I look forw...; Nigel Farage | 762 cc890-1 (Link to this contribution)
As an elected representative of a very young political party, I watch this game going on between ...; Anna Gelderd | 762 cc891-883 (Link to this contribution)
We have all seen what disregard for international law looks like when it plays out on the world s...; Tom Tugendhat | 762 cc883-4 (Link to this contribution)
May I start by paying tribute to Henry Smith, a former Member of this House? He did an enormous a...; Louise Sandher-Jones | 762 c884 (Link to this contribution)
I am reminded of the Annington Homes deal under a previous Conservative Government, but that is n...; Tom Tugendhat | 762 c892 (Link to this contribution)
The hon. Lady will be aware, because I have been on the record on this, that I was entirely criti...; John Hayes | 762 cc892-885 (Link to this contribution)
I am grateful to the former Security Minister for giving way. I put this question to him:
“...; Tom Tugendhat | 762 c885 (Link to this contribution)
As my right hon. Friend knows, the noble Lord, a former Labour Security Minister—and, of course, ...; Bradley Thomas | 762 c886 (Link to this contribution)
My right hon. Friend touches on the point about the ICJ. Does he agree that the ICJ decision is n...; Tom Tugendhat | 762 c887 (Link to this contribution)
The point that my hon. Friend makes correctly is that this is a political judgment. It is a ratio...; 762 c887 (Link to this contribution); Nusrat Ghani | 762 c888 (Link to this contribution)
Order. Time is short, so I will now call the Front-Bench spokespeople. I call the shadow Secretar...; James Cartlidge | 762 cc888-893 (Link to this contribution)
I am grateful to all colleagues who have participated in today’s debate.
In a week when the...; Mark Sewards | 762 c893 (Link to this contribution)
Does the hon. Gentleman not accept that the Government have said that they will bring the full de...; James Cartlidge | 762 c893 (Link to this contribution)
The hon. Gentleman is doing well on getting a role as a Parliamentary Private Secretary. This is ...; Luke Evans | 762 c894 (Link to this contribution)
As the shadow Defence Secretary is aware, it was the Prime Minister who came forward and said how...; James Cartlidge | 762 c894 (Link to this contribution)
My hon. Friend is right. Why can the Government not tell us whether the Chagos deal will come fro...; John Hayes | 762 c894 (Link to this contribution)
What we do know about the financial deal is that it is linked to inflation. It is therefore incon...; James Cartlidge | 762 cc894-0 (Link to this contribution)
My right hon. Friend is spot on. They know how much it will cost; they are just not being transpa...; Iain Duncan Smith | 762 c895 (Link to this contribution)
I made this point earlier: the Government’s position throughout all this has moved. First, we wer...; James Cartlidge | 762 c891 (Link to this contribution)
My right hon. Friend puts it brilliantly. He put the question about the waiver and it was ignored...; Catherine West | 762 cc891-6 (Link to this contribution)
We have heard some really interesting contributions during this debate. We have had some wild mat...; Kieran Mullan | 762 c896 (Link to this contribution)
Will the Minister give way?; Catherine West | 762 c896 (Link to this contribution)
I will just finish this point.
The new UK Government inherited a situation in which the lon...; Kieran Mullan | 762 c896 (Link to this contribution)
If the Government are so confident that this deal offers excellent value for money and that taxpa...; Catherine West | 762 c896 (Link to this contribution)
What this debate has shown is that some Members are finding it difficult to deal with the fact th...; James Cartlidge | 762 c896 (Link to this contribution)
On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. Are there any rules whereby the amount of transparency...; Catherine West | 762 c897 (Link to this contribution)
I rest my case.; Jeremy Corbyn | 762 c894 (Link to this contribution)
Before the Minister concludes, will she put it on record that this debate is about the most grote...; Catherine West | 762 c894 (Link to this contribution)
The right hon. Member has a long history of being active in the all-party parliamentary group wit...; Julian Lewis | 762 c894 (Link to this contribution)
I have a lot of respect for the hon. Lady, and that is why I will have one more go at this: is th...; Joy Morrissey | 762 cc898-6 (Link to this contribution)
claimed to move the closure (Standing Order No. 36).
Question put forthwith, That the Quest...
Subjects: Costs Judgements Mauritius Military bases Diego Garcia Sovereignty International Court of Justice USA Chagossians Chagos Islands
Link: View this Parliamentary proceeding on hansard.parliament.uk

British Indian Ocean Territory

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