If she will suspend the process to ratify the UK-Mauritius Treaty.

If she will suspend the process to ratify the UK-Mauritius Treaty.

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Chapman of Darlington on 11 February (HL14050), whether Inter Mediate has undertaken any work for them in relation to (1) the Chagos Islands, or (2) Mauritius; and whether they have received any representations from Inter Mediate about those two...

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Chapman of Darlington on 11 February (HL14050), whether Inter Mediate has undertaken any work for them in relation to (1) the Chagos Islands, or (2) Mauritius; and whether they have received any representations from Inter Mediate about those two...

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the timing of the public commentary by the government of Mauritius on the Iranian missile attack on Diego Garcia.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the timing of the public commentary by the government of Mauritius on the Iranian missile attack on Diego Garcia.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 18 March 2026 to Question 119052 on Chagos Islands: Sovereignty, on what date did his department last report its NATO spending to NATO, and for what financial year was the report.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 18 March 2026 to Question 119052 on Chagos Islands: Sovereignty, on what date did his department last report its NATO spending to NATO, and for what financial year was the report.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of (a) the resignation of Deputy Prime Minister Paul Bérenger in Mauritius and (b) his allegations of corruption.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of (a) the resignation of Deputy Prime Minister Paul Bérenger in Mauritius and (b) his allegations of corruption.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has had discussions with her Mauritian counterpart on the arrest of the former Prime Minister of that country in relation to money laundering issues.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has had discussions with her Mauritian counterpart on the arrest of the former Prime Minister of that country in relation to money laundering issues.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the purpose is of the visit to Mauritius by UK officials on 22 April 2026; and what the principal subjects to be discussed are.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the purpose is of the visit to Mauritius by UK officials on 22 April 2026; and what the principal subjects to be discussed are.

Lords statement on the Diego Garcia treaty and the associated Bill.

Lords statement on the Diego Garcia treaty and the associated Bill.

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord opposite for the opportunity to ask questions on this Statement. It is indeed a shame that nobody from the Foreign Office was available to turn up and accept

responsibility for the utter shambles of the policy that it has created. This latest U-turn...

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord opposite for the opportunity to ask questions on this Statement. It is indeed a shame that nobody from the Foreign Office was available to turn up and accept

responsibility for the utter shambles of the policy that it has created. This latest U-turn...

My Lords, this has turned into a very sorry affair. I continue to be sorry for the Chagossian community, which sees that the political turmoil and injustice that it has endured over many years has the potential to continue, because the same international legal position remains, not only in relation...

My Lords, this has turned into a very sorry affair. I continue to be sorry for the Chagossian community, which sees that the political turmoil and injustice that it has endured over many years has the potential to continue, because the same international legal position remains, not only in relation...

I thank everyone for their warm welcome and for the opportunity to respond to those questions. It is an important debate. I say to the noble Lords, Lord Callanan and Lord Purvis, and to everybody contributing—many Members on both sides of the House—that it is an important issue.

Let me say...

I thank everyone for their warm welcome and for the opportunity to respond to those questions. It is an important debate. I say to the noble Lords, Lord Callanan and Lord Purvis, and to everybody contributing—many Members on both sides of the House—that it is an important issue.

Let me say...

What about the delegation?

What about the delegation?

The noble Lord and I have sparred across the Dispatch Box, but not as much as I would like, if I am honest about it. I just say to him that Mauritius is a country: every now and again, any country in the world that the UK has relationships with...

The noble Lord and I have sparred across the Dispatch Box, but not as much as I would like, if I am honest about it. I just say to him that Mauritius is a country: every now and again, any country in the world that the UK has relationships with...

My Lords, if anyone was left with any lingering doubt about the naivete of losing sovereignty over this base, recent events have emblazoned that folly for all to see. The noble Lord, Lord Robertson of Port Ellen, arguably one of the most respected defence experts in the world and defence...

My Lords, if anyone was left with any lingering doubt about the naivete of losing sovereignty over this base, recent events have emblazoned that folly for all to see. The noble Lord, Lord Robertson of Port Ellen, arguably one of the most respected defence experts in the world and defence...

The noble Baroness will know that we are not binning the treaty—I think that was the word she used. We will look to take it forward and discussions will continue; it just will not happen in the current Session, because parliamentary time will not allow it. As I said to...

The noble Baroness will know that we are not binning the treaty—I think that was the word she used. We will look to take it forward and discussions will continue; it just will not happen in the current Session, because parliamentary time will not allow it. As I said to...

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Coaker, for his presentation. I have considerable sympathy for the situation that the Government find themselves in, subject to the capricious decisions of the US President. I would love to be a fly on the wall in the State Department, to be...

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Coaker, for his presentation. I have considerable sympathy for the situation that the Government find themselves in, subject to the capricious decisions of the US President. I would love to be a fly on the wall in the State Department, to be...

Let me make one general point. The clash of opinion in this Chamber leads to better policy, done in the way that it is done. I respect challenge from wherever it comes, because that makes for better policy. In that sense, most contributions, even if they are sometimes difficult, are...

Let me make one general point. The clash of opinion in this Chamber leads to better policy, done in the way that it is done. I respect challenge from wherever it comes, because that makes for better policy. In that sense, most contributions, even if they are sometimes difficult, are...

My Lords, the Minister has made it clear that the treaty, as it was, has not been “binned”. If and when there is agreement with the Americans to proceed, will the Government consider also the Maldive interest that has been expressed? If so, have the Government had any formal approach...

My Lords, the Minister has made it clear that the treaty, as it was, has not been “binned”. If and when there is agreement with the Americans to proceed, will the Government consider also the Maldive interest that has been expressed? If so, have the Government had any formal approach...

This is a treaty between the UK and Mauritius with respect to the future of the BIOT, without the involvement of the Maldivian Government. If that is wrong, I will write to the noble and gallant Lord and put it on the record, but that is my understanding.

This is a treaty between the UK and Mauritius with respect to the future of the BIOT, without the involvement of the Maldivian Government. If that is wrong, I will write to the noble and gallant Lord and put it on the record, but that is my understanding.

My Lords, the Minister is not so much a sparrer as a knocker-outer, which is why we love him on this side and why even that lot have to respect him, but I wonder whether he will respond to a question that the whole House has. While it is perfectly...

My Lords, the Minister is not so much a sparrer as a knocker-outer, which is why we love him on this side and why even that lot have to respect him, but I wonder whether he will respond to a question that the whole House has. While it is perfectly...