At Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Questions, Andrew Rosindell M.P. slammed the Government for its lack of an assurance of marine protection measures as part of the surrender of the Chagos Islands.
Also, the Government have informed Chagossians that their return to the islands is not set in stone—a pure and utter betrayal of the British Chagossians.
Andrew has long campaigned for the return of the Chagossians to the islands and has never advocated for their surrender.
The UK is a world leader in protecting marine environments, particularly around the British Overseas Territories, but tragically that reputation will be trashed when Labour surrenders to Mauritius one of the most important marine protected areas around the British Indian Ocean Territory. While Mauritian fisheries Ministers have been pledging to issue fishing and trawler licences for those waters, Labour Ministers have given no assurances about future protections, and have just made vague comments on working with Mauritius on a new MPA. Can the Minister state if the proposed treaty will have any guaranteed protections in place? Will she confirm what was said in a legal letter to British Chagossians—that their right of return is not guaranteed? Surely that would be a total betrayal.
Andrew Rosindell M.P., Shadow Parliamentary Under Secretary for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs
I thank the shadow Minister for his question. Following the trip that he and I did together when we were both on the Foreign Affairs Committee, I am sure he is aware that the marine protected area will continue and that the environment has been at the heart of the negotiations. Indeed, he must remember that, because when he was the chair of the Chagos Islands all-party parliamentary group, he began the debate with the Mauritians, so I am sure he is in a very good position to ask any further questions that he may like to ask of the Mauritians.
Catherine West M.P., Parliamentary Under Secretary for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs
