To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received from the Government of Mauritius on (a) the use of Diego Garcia and (b) the future military use of the Chagos Islands. (189820)

The Prime Minister of Mauritius, Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam, last raised the issue of sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory with my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister in the margins of the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Kampala in November 2007. The Government have no doubt about their sovereignty over the British Indian Ocean Territory, but my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister agreed to establish a dialogue between the Mauritian high commission in London and officials at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on issues relating to the British Indian Ocean Territory.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions (a) his Department and (b) British Indian Ocean Territory officials have had with the US on the future military use of Diego Garcia and the Chagos archipelago. (189821)

Officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, including the British Indian Ocean Territory Commissioner and Administrator, and the Ministry of Defence hold annual talks with their United States counter-parts to discuss issues surrounding Diego Garcia and the outer islands. Officials also have regular contact with the United States on an ad hoc basis as needed.