JusticeFace Pro
JusticeFace Pro
Jan 19, 2026
Territorio britannico dell’oceano indiano

Parliament to Consider Lords Amendments to Diego Garcia Military Base Bill

On 20 January 2026, the House of Commons is scheduled to consider amendments made by the House of Lords to the Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill. This legislation aims to implement provisions of the treaty signed in May 2025 between the United Kingdom and Mauritius concerning the status and future of the Chagos Archipelago, including the joint US–UK military base on Diego Garcia.

The bill's primary objectives include:

  • Terminating the UK's sovereignty over the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) while providing for the continued administration of Diego Garcia by the UK.
  • Revoking UK legislation that provides the BIOT's constitution and certain provisions relating to the citizenship status of those connected to the BIOT.
  • Providing powers to implement the treaty using the Crown's prerogative powers through Orders in Council.
  • Saving existing laws applying to the BIOT and applying them to Diego Garcia, except for British nationality law.
  • Removing the ability of people to acquire British Overseas Territories citizenship based on connection to the BIOT, while preserving a route to full British citizenship for Chagossian descendants.

During its Lords stages, the bill was amended, and the government has expressed opposition to certain amendments, including:

  • Amendment 1, which would require the Secretary of State to negotiate an amendment to the treaty to stop payments to the Mauritian Government if the UK cannot use the Diego Garcia Military base.
  • Amendments 2 and 3, which would require a referendum for Chagossians on the terms of the treaty.
  • Amendment 5, which would require the Secretary of State to publish a statement detailing the total costs of payments to Mauritius under the treaty and the methodology used to calculate those costs.
  • Amendment 6, which would require the Secretary of State to lay an estimate of anticipated expenditure related to the treaty before the House of Commons and, in the event of Mauritius not honoring the provisions of the treaty, to lay a resolution to cease payments under the treaty.

The Foreign Secretary, Yvette Cooper, has tabled motions to disagree with these amendments, which will be considered during the Commons session.

The treaty provides for Mauritius to exercise full sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago, with the UK exercising rights on Diego Garcia during an initial 99-year period. Over this period, the UK will pay Mauritius a total of approximately £3.4 billion in 2025/26 prices. The UK Government asserts that this agreement resolves the long-standing BIOT sovereignty dispute and secures the military base for continued operations in the long term.

The outcome of the Commons consideration of these amendments will be crucial in determining the final form of the legislation and the future governance of the Chagos Archipelago.