HL Deb 31 January 1980 vol 404 cc987-9

3.22 p.m.

Lord BROCKWAY

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether a settlement regarding compensation has yet been reached for the 434 families evacuated 10 years ago from Diego Garcia and other islands in the Chagos Archipelago to enable an American military base to be established.

Lord TREFGARNE

My Lords, in 1973 Her Majesty's Government, in agreement with the Mauritian Government, paid £650,000 for resettlement of the families in Mauritius. A further "without prejudice" offer of £1.25 million as compensation for displacement is now being considered by the community.

Lord BROCKWAY

My Lords, is the Minister aware of the appalling conditions under which these evicted families have lived, putting up their own very unhygienic shacks made of battered cans and bits of wood? In the case of the contribution of £665,000 which we made on evacuation, can the noble Lord explain why the Mauritius Government did not make this offer to the evicted persons for eight years? Is it not the case that it was rejected because of the decreased value of money? Why has it taken two years to make the proposal which is now being considered?

Lord TREFGARNE

My Lords, I am not sure that the noble Lord is quite accurately informed on this matter. The money that we originally paid to Mauritius for this purpose was £650,000, as I announced. It was paid over to the islanders two years ago, and when that was done it was paid together with accrued interest.

Lord BROCKWAY

My Lords, is it not the case that these persons evicted by us have for at least eight years been living under appalling conditions without the compensation which was their due? Does not the present contract under consideration include a clause that they and their children shall never return to their homeland 1,200 miles away? Surely we can hope that by the time that their children are adults the Indian Ocean may be neutralised as all the border states demand and civilian life be possible there again.

Lord TREFGARNE

My Lords, I am not sure, again, that it is accurate to say that the island of Diego Garcia was the homeland of these people. They were, generally speaking, migrant workers working in the copra plantations on that island. The copra plantations were being progressively run down, anyway, and the workers were in general moving away.

Lord PAGET of NORTHAMPTON

My Lords, could the noble Lord tell us how many people were removed and how much compensation per head they received?

Lord TREFGARNE

My Lords, the number of people concerned amounted to about 1,000. The money was distributed to families rather than to individuals, so I cannot give the noble Lord the amount.

Lord PAGET of NORTHAMPTON

My Lords, how much did they receive per family?

Lord HALE

My Lords, is this island now wholly occupied by American forces, or are there any British people left on the island? If we glance at the report of the debate which took place on this matter when this rather terrible and forced evacuation took place, will the noble Lord see whether the promises that were made about the future—the interest in the future—were carried out, or have they since been completely altered?

Lord TREFGARNE

My Lords, if I may first respond to the question put by the noble Lord, Lord Paget of Northampton, as the noble Lord, Lord Brockway, said in his Question, there were 430 or so families, and the sum originally paid over by us to the Mauritian Government was £650,000. I cannot work out the arithmetic in my head, but I am sure the noble Lord can. To answer the question put by the noble Lord, Lord Hale, there are a small number of British personnel on Diego Garcia now. I think the total number is about 25.

Lord BROCKWAY

My Lords, may I put one further question? It has been suggested that, as a conciliatory action, the British Government should build a home for the aged among these families. Would that be a gesture which would be welcomed by the Government?

Lord TREFGARNE

My Lords, we have made a "without prejudice" answer, as I said, of £1.25 million. It will be for the islanders to decide how to dispose of that fund if they agree to accept it. That would certainly be a very proper use for it.