Member

Amendment 53 is an interesting one, I admit. I must stipulate that payments to Mauritius are a key element of the agreement. This amendment would constrain the Government in a hypothetical situation and could therefore force them to act against the UK’s best interests in future. Although I genuinely appreciate the interest that the noble and gallant Lords, Lord Craig and Lord Houghton, have shown in the environment surrounding the islands, the coastland of Diego Garcia, as with all atoll islands, as the noble and gallant Lord, Lord Craig, knows, is naturally dynamic. Although we cannot predict future erosion, scientific studies have concluded that the overall land area of parts of the island not shaped by military construction decreased by less than 1% over the last 50 years. If we were in a situation where Diego Garcia is sinking under the waves, we would have a real problem on our hands, and the costs to adapt and deal with it would far exceed anything we are paying to Mauritius through this Bill. It would affect very many countries right across the world and probably all our island overseas territories.