HC Deb 21 July 2004 vol 424 cc339-40W
Llew Smith

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library copies of all his Department's(a) legal, (b) environmental and (c) economic studies on Diego Garcia and the Chagos Islands; and what correspondence has taken place between Her Majesty's Government and the United Si ales Administration since November 2000 on Diego Garcia. [184389]

Mr. Rammell

Reports of studies relating to the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) are placed in the Library of the House if they are likely to be of parliamentary or public interest. For instance the study into the feasibility of resettlement of the outer islands of the Territory was deposited in the Library in July 2002. Correspondence between the UK and US Governments about Diego Garcia is confidential to the two Governments and is withheld under exemption 1(c) of Part 2 the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Sir Menzies Campbell

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on(a) dredging and (b) the expansion of naval facilities at Diego Garcia since 1980. [184966]

Mr. Straw

The US Naval Support Facility on Diego Garcia, which had been established pursuant to an agreement between the two Governments of February 1976 as a development of the previous US naval communications facility there. Following an Exchange of Notes between the Governments of the UK and the US in August and September 2001 the US Naval Support Facility was designated as a Bomber Forward Operating Location and various infrastructure upgrades to the facility were agreed. The 2001 Exchange of Notes recorded the understanding of the two Governments that this was consistent with the scope and purpose of the facility as provided for in the 1976 agreement. Further infrastructure upgrades were similarly approved by the two Governments in July 2002. In addition, an Exchange of Notes between the two Governments in June and July 1999 recorded their agreement to the construction and operation on Diego Garcia of a monitoring facility, primarily for inclusion in the International Monitoring System, established under the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty of 1996.

As regards dredging, it will be necessary to obtain this information from the authorities on Diego Garcia. When it has been received, I will write to the right hon. Gentleman and place copies in the Library of the House.