§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the relevance to the rest of the Note of 25 February 1976 about the United States presence on Diego Garcia Territory of paragraph 8 "Conservation" which deals with the "restoration" of certain islets for which "neither Government shall be under any obligation to provide funds"; why it was agreed, in paragraph 16 "Property" that "the Government of the US shall not be responsible for restoring land or other immovable property to its original condition, nor for making any payment in lieu of restoration"; and whether they monitor the environmental damage that may be caused by the presence of the US Navy support facility at Diego Garcia. [HL 1908]
§ Baroness Symons of Vernham DeanParagraph (8) of the 1976 Agreement was drafted in response to scientific recommendations that military development on the three islets in the mouth of Diego Garcia lagoon should be limited, in order to preserve their ecosystems. No development has taken place on these islets, which have been designated Strict Nature Reserves.
Without undertaking considerable historical research, it is not possible to say with assurance what the thinking at the time was on paragraph 16 of the 1976 Agreement.
The British Indian Ocean Territory Government monitors the environment. In 1993 it appointed a Conservation Consultant who makes annual visits to the Territory to assess the state of the environment and report to the BIOT Commissioner. It also sponsors ad hoc environmental research projects.
§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the supplemental arrangement of 13 December 1982 relating to the Agreement of 25 February 1976 on Diego Garcia concerning the need of the United States to give due consideration to the 2WA limited resources of the island, in particular drinking water, and to the avoidance of dumping vehicles, machinery equipment or other non natural waste and dredging or reef blasting indicates that these were activities which the United States authorities had either been engaged in or had not prevented; if so, what is the Government's estimate of the damage that had, at that point, been done; and whether they believe that the American authorities in Diego Garcia are now acting in an environmentally responsible manner towards the islands. [HL1909]
§ Baroness Symons of Vernham DeanThe American authorities on Diego Garcia had been involved in dumping, dredging and coral reef blasting prior to the 1982 UK/US Supplemental Arrangement concerning the United States Navy Support Facility on Diego Garcia. No estimation of any damage done was made at that point.
The BIOT Government believes that the American authorities in Diego Garcia are acting in an environmentally responsible manner.