To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what remedy exists under international law to remove settlements in the occupied Western Sahara which are deemed to be illegal. (312362)

The Government see the status of the disputed territory of Western Sahara as undetermined and continue to believe that progress towards a negotiated solution to the dispute, providing for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara, is best achieved under the auspices of the UN. Therefore, any issues relating to residence and property rights will need to be considered in this context.