§ Jeremy CorbynTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many of the current population of Diego Garcia are(a) US military personnel, (b) UK military personnel, (c) civilian workers and (d) detainees; and if he will make a statement. [157690]
§ Mr. RammellThe current population on the island of Diego Garcia consists of:
- (a) approx 1,400 US military personnel
- (b) approx 40 UK military personnel
- (c) approx 1,800 civilian workers (mainly of Mauritian and Filipino nationality).
There are no detainees in Diego Garcia or elsewhere in the British Indian Ocean Territory.
§ Jeremy CorbynTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have been held with(a) the Chagos Refugee Association and (b) other groups on the possibility of return to Diego Garcia and the Chagos Islands of the original inhabitants and their descendants; and if he will make a statement. [157708]
§ Mr. RammellWe have held many discussions with representatives of the Chagos Refugees Group, and with other persons claiming to represent the views of the Chagossian community. In that context, a team of independent experts was commissioned in April 2000 to carry out a study of the feasibility of a return to the Chagos Islands. Their report on the second phase of their study was delivered in June 2002.
In the meantime, various members of the Chagossian community, including the leaders of the Chagos Refugee Group, initiated legal proceedings against the Government in the High Court, raising, among other 831W things, issues relating to such a return. Though the High Court has given summary judgement in favour of the Government in these proceedings, the claimants have applied for leave to appeal and their application is still pending. No final decision has been taken on the future of the feasibility study.