Government response to the International Agreements Committee report: UK-Mauritius Agreement on the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia

This is the government's response, published 25 September 2025.

Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.

The Government welcomes the Committee's report and its conclusion that ratification would reduce the risk facing the Diego Garcia base, and sets out its response on defence, environment, resettlement, finance, duration, dispute settlement and amendment.

• On defence, the Government welcomes the Committee's clarity on "expeditiously" informing Mauritius of any armed attack, and agrees that the Agreement does not require notification in advance, so "no sensitive details of military activities would ever be passed on".
• On the Marine Protected Area, the UK "will support" Mauritius' ambitions, with the terms of support to be "agreed in a separate process which is already underway". It is for Mauritius to decide how the £45 million annual development funds are used.
• On resettlement, the Government is discussing modalities with Mauritius. Ahead of ratification it has "committed to providing a factual Statement to both Houses" covering eligibility criteria and the modalities of the trust fund.
• On amendment, the Government notes the Minister has stated, and written to confirm, that the Article 16.2 exception "will only be used in very exceptional circumstances".

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