Sir Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of ceding sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius on the security of the Diego Garcia strategic base; whether he consulted Lord Robertson of Port Ellen in his capacity as Head of the Strategic Defence Review before this decision was taken; and whether the Government negotiated enforceable guarantees to prevent the use of other Chagos Islands to (a) spy upon and (b) otherwise compromise the military utility of the Diego Garcia strategic base.  [7711]

[Due for Answer on 14 October]

ANSWER

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces (Luke Pollard): This historic agreement protects the long-term secure operation of the UK-US base on Diego Garcia with Mauritius, which plays such a crucial role in regional and international security. We have full Mauritian backing for robust security arrangements, including preventing foreign armed forces from establishing themselves on the outer islands, or otherwise undermining the effective operation of the base, meaning the base is more protected than ever from foreign malign influence in a more insecure world.  This deal has been welcomed by a range of key international partners, including the US and India. It is our intention to pursue ratification in 2025 by submitting the treaty and a Bill to Parliament for scrutiny.