Ian Murray – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Murray on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the Government’s policy is on the renewal of the lease on the Chagos Islands that ends on 31 December 2016; and if he will make a statement.

Sir Alan Duncan

The Government supports the US presence on Diego Garcia in the British Indian Ocean Territory, and wishes it to continue. This presence is underpinned by an Exchange of Notes which will roll over automatically for a further 20 years if neither side decides to terminate it before 30 December this year.