Member

51: After Clause 5, insert the following new Clause— “UK–Mauritius Inter-parliamentary Committee(1) On the day on which this Act is passed, a Minister of the Crown must engage with the government of the Republic of Mauritius with a view to establishing a UK-Mauritius Inter-parliamentary Committee to consider the implementation and operation of the Treaty.(2) In undertaking the engagement required by subsection (1), the Minister of the Crown must make representations that—(a) the composition of the Inter-parliamentary Committee should reflect equal representation from the parliaments of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Mauritius,(b) its chair should rotate on a timetable agreed by the Committee between the United Kingdom Parliament and the parliament of Mauritius, and(c) its purpose should be to promote mutual understanding of the provisions of the Treaty through dialogue and debate, including consideration of the operation of the Joint Commission established under Article 12 of the Treaty.(3) The Minister of the Crown must further propose that the Inter-parliamentary Committee’s responsibilities include—(a) monitoring and assessing the implementation and operation of the Treaty via dialogue and mutual understanding;(b) evaluating the recognition and protection of Chagossian rights, including but not limited to—(i) access to compensation, resettlement, or other forms of support;(ii) ongoing involvement and participation in any decision which impacts on the Chagossian community;(c) considering the welfare, integration, and general needs of Chagossians residing in the United Kingdom; and(d) reviewing the beneficial impact of the financial arrangements made under the Treaty, including those supporting resettlement, welfare, or the development of the Chagossian community.(4) If the Inter-parliamentary Committee described in subsection (1) is established, within five years of the commencement of the Treaty the Inter-parliamentary Committee must be invited to conduct a review of the operation and effectiveness of the Treaty arrangements. (5) The Minister of the Crown must make reasonable provision for the operation of the Committee.”Member’s explanatory statement This amendment would require the Government to seek the establishment of a UK–Mauritius Inter-parliamentary Committee to oversee and review the implementation of the Treaty, with particular regard to parliamentary scrutiny, the protection of Chagossian rights, and the operation of related governance and financial arrangements.