Debate on bill and Committee of the Whole House (HL) on Tuesday, 25 November 2025, in the House of Lords, led by Lord Coaker and Baroness Chapman of Darlington. The answering members were Baroness Goldie and Lord Callanan.

Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill

Lords committee stage second day. Clauses 1 to 6 agreed to. Bill reported without amendment. (Part 2 of 2).

Secondary information

Type: Parliamentary proceeding
Reference: 850 cc1260-1320
Session: 2024-26
Department: Ministry of Defence; Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
Legislative stage: Committee stage
Procedure: New clauses
Chamber / Committee: House of Lords chamber
Related items: Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill 2024-26. Brought from the Commons
Tuesday, 21 October 2025
Bills
House of Lords; Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill
Tuesday, 25 November 2025
Parliamentary proceedings
House of Lords; Deposited Paper DEP2026-0004
Monday, 5 January 2026
Deposited papers
House of Lords
Proceeding contributions: Lord Morrow | 850 c1260 (Link to this contribution)
Moved by
Lord Morrow
20J: Clause 1, page 1, line 7, at end insert “, subject to subse...; Lord Morrow | 850 cc1261-2 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, Amendment 20J in my name proposes that Clauses 2 to 4 do not come into force until the ...; Lord Hannan of Kingsclere | 850 cc1262-3 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I support the amendment of the noble Lord, Lord Morrow. I thank the Ministers for the p...; Lord Callanan | 850 cc1263-4 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, as the noble Lord, Lord Hannan, reminds us, this amendment gets to the core of the crit...; Baroness Chapman of Darlington | 850 c1264 (Link to this contribution)
In relation to Amendment 20J, the House has dedicated at least 15 hours to debating the Governmen...; Lord Morrow | 850 c1264 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I thank all those who have spoken in this debate. I have noticed that no one has spoken...; Lord Morrow | 850 c1264 (Link to this contribution)
Moved by
Lord Morrow
20K: Clause 1, page 1, line 7, at end insert “, subject to subse...; Lord Morrow | 850 cc1264-7 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, there has been lot of talk about the rules-based international order in recent years, l...; Baroness Hoey | 850 cc1267-8 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I will say a few words in support of the noble Lord’s amendment, which seems really sen...; Lord Callanan | 850 cc1268-9 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Morrow, and the noble Baroness, Lady Hoey, for their contr...; Baroness Chapman of Darlington | 850 c1269 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, Amendment 20K, tabled by the noble Lord, Lord Morrow, seeks to oblige the Government to...; Lord Callanan | 850 c1269 (Link to this contribution)
The Minister has not even attempted to address any of the questions that we have asked.; Baroness Chapman of Darlington | 850 c1269 (Link to this contribution)
I am very happy if the noble Lord would like to ask me a specific question that I have not alread...; Lord Callanan | 850 c1269 (Link to this contribution)
Will the Minister comment on the ability of the Mauritian coastguard actually to enforce the mari...; Baroness Chapman of Darlington | 850 c1269 (Link to this contribution)
I suggest that the noble Lord looks at the ways in which marine protected areas are generally enf...; Lord Morrow | 850 c1270 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Hoey, and the noble Lord, Lord Callanan, for their con...; Lord Hannan of Kingsclere | 850 c1270 (Link to this contribution)
Moved by
Lord Hannan of Kingsclere
20L: Clause 1, page 1, line 7, at end insert “, su...; Lord Hannan of Kingsclere | 850 cc1270-2 (Link to this contribution)
My Lord, I beg leave to propose my Amendments 20L, 20N and 20P. In the interests of brevity and i...; Lord Jay of Ewelme | 850 c1272 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, in his remarks, the noble Lord, Lord Hannan, has tried to pre-empt the comments that I ...; Lord Bellingham | 850 cc1272-3 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I certainly do support the amendment moved by the noble Lord, Lord Hannan. I will be ve...; Baroness Chapman of Darlington | 850 c1273 (Link to this contribution)
I hesitate to interrupt, but I think we need to remind ourselves before it gets repeated again th...; Lord Bellingham | 850 c1273 (Link to this contribution)
I understand that, but circumstances can change and this may well be seen as a precedent in the f...; Lord Purvis of Tweed | 850 cc1273-4 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I want to say a few words. I have been rather sparing in the Committee debate today, bu...; Lord Lilley | 850 cc1274-5 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I want primarily—perhaps later—to talk about my Amendments 20Q and 20U, but I will say ...; Lord Weir of Ballyholme | 850 cc1275-6 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I will briefly make two points. First, on behalf of my noble friend Lord McCrea, who ha...; Baroness Chapman of Darlington | 850 c1276 (Link to this contribution)
It is really important that there is not a dispute with regards to Gibraltar. There is an arrange...; Lord Weir of Ballyholme | 850 c1276 (Link to this contribution)
Absolutely. I have taken the Minister and the Government to task on a range of things, but this m...; Baroness Chapman of Darlington | 850 c1276 (Link to this contribution)
I am really sorry, but we have an agreement with Spain. The matter is settled. Madrid takes the s...; Lord Weir of Ballyholme | 850 c1276 (Link to this contribution)
I am not querying that. What I am saying is from experience and from having spoken directly to Gi...; Baroness Chapman of Darlington | 850 c1276 (Link to this contribution)
It is agreed.; Lord Weir of Ballyholme | 850 c1277 (Link to this contribution)
Yes, but part of the problem is that sometimes in this country we fall into a trap where we see a...; Baroness Ludford | 850 c1277 (Link to this contribution)
Does the noble Lord accept that perhaps a closer analogy is where a party has one position when i...; Lord Weir of Ballyholme | 850 c1277 (Link to this contribution)
That is true of a party that votes against it at Third Reading in the House of Commons and then s...; Baroness Hoey | 850 c1277 (Link to this contribution)
I am getting rather tired of this Front-Bench thing about what the last Government did. The reali...; Lord Weir of Ballyholme | 850 c1277 (Link to this contribution)
I do not hold a brief for either the Government or the main Opposition. I am happy for them to sp...; Lord Sentamu | 850 cc1277-8 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I just want us to remind ourselves of the history of the British Empire and how Macmill...; Lord Lilley | 850 cc1278-1280 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I am grateful for the opportunity also to speak to my Amendments 20U and 20Q. Amendment...; Lord Callanan | 850 cc1280-1 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I thank my noble friend Lord Hannan of Kingsclere for leading this debate. He set out a...; Baroness Chapman of Darlington | 850 cc1281-3 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, a large number of the amendments that have been tabled seek to mandate the Government t...; Lord Lilley | 850 c1283 (Link to this contribution)
I am grateful to the noble Baroness for giving way, but I ask her to respond to the point I made:...; Baroness Chapman of Darlington | 850 c1283 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I accept that about the ICJ, but the point is that other countries will act on an advis...; Lord Hannan of Kingsclere | 850 c1284 (Link to this contribution)
I am grateful to the Minister for dealing so comprehensively with all those points, and to all no...; Lord Hannan of Kingsclere | 850 c1284 (Link to this contribution)
Moved by
Lord Hannan of Kingsclere
20M: Clause 1, page 1, line 7, at end insert “, su...; Lord Hannan of Kingsclere | 850 cc1285-6 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, nationality has two distinct meanings: it is what it says on our passports, but it is a...; Baroness Hoey | 850 cc1286-8 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, my Amendment 50B is very clear and simple, and nothing to do with security on Diego Gar...; Lord Morrow | 850 cc1288-1290 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, Amendment 81 in my name is in some key senses the most important of all the amendments ...; Lord Callanan | 850 cc1290-1 (Link to this contribution)
I thank the noble Lord, Lord Morrow, for his Amendment 81 that he has just talked about, which ri...; Baroness Chapman of Darlington | 850 cc1291-2 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, Amendment 20M, tabled by the noble Lord, Lord Hannan, requests that the treaty does not...; Baroness Hoey | 850 c1292 (Link to this contribution)
Will the Minister just give me a short, simple answer to why the United Kingdom Government will n...; Baroness Chapman of Darlington | 850 c1293 (Link to this contribution)
The legal situation is as I have described. The noble Baroness may wish that that were not the ca...; Earl of Leicester | 850 c1293 (Link to this contribution)
That legal position is guidance; it is not law.; Baroness Chapman of Darlington | 850 c1293 (Link to this contribution)
There have been legal judgments in English courts and elsewhere that have established that the ri...; Lord Hannan of Kingsclere | 850 c1293 (Link to this contribution)
I thank the Minister. I also thank the noble Baroness, Lady Hoey, and the noble Lord, Lord Morrow...; Lord Lilley | 850 c1293 (Link to this contribution)
Moved by
Lord Lilley
20S: Clause 1, page 1, line 7, at end insert “, subject to subse...; Lord Lilley | 850 cc1293-4 (Link to this contribution)
My Amendment 20S seeks to get the Secretary of State to produce a report on the so-called economi...; Baroness Goldie | 850 c1294 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I did not expect to participate in this, but I was having a conversation earlier with m...; Lord Callanan | 850 cc1294-5 (Link to this contribution)
I am sorry that my noble friend Lord Kempsell is not here to move his amendment, which I thought ...; Baroness Chapman of Darlington | 850 cc1295-6 (Link to this contribution)
Noble Lords will recall that we debated the financial elements of the treaty in some detail last ...; Baroness Goldie | 850 c1296 (Link to this contribution)
Before the Minister sits down, the particular question I pose—and I am not being polemical; I thi...; Baroness Chapman of Darlington | 850 c1296 (Link to this contribution)
I think the noble Baroness is asking me what a sovereign country would do with some money that it...; Baroness Goldie | 850 c1296 (Link to this contribution)
I am happy to speak outside the Chamber.; Baroness Chapman of Darlington | 850 c1296 (Link to this contribution)
Okay, that might be a good idea. I hope that the noble Lord can withdraw his amendment on that ba...; Lord Lilley | 850 c1296 (Link to this contribution)
I beg leave to withdraw.; Lord Lilley | 850 c1296 (Link to this contribution)
Moved by
Lord Lilley
20T: Clause 1, page 1, line 7, at end insert “, subject to subse...; Lord Lilley | 850 cc1297-8 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I will speak to Amendments 20T and 81K. Amendment 20T just requires that Amendment 81K ...; Earl of Leicester | 850 c1298 (Link to this contribution)
I want to add to my noble friend’s words. I will not read the whole letter, but this is a copy of...; Lord Callanan | 850 cc1298-9 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, Amendments 20T and 81K, in the name of my noble friend Lord Lilley, seek to achieve a s...; Baroness Chapman of Darlington | 850 c1299 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, as the noble Lord opposite has indicated, it is slightly surprising that the four amend...; Lord Lilley | 850 c1299 (Link to this contribution)
I beg leave to withdraw.; Lord Callanan | 850 c1300 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, the amendments in this group relate to issues around the ceding of sovereignty over the...; Lord Lansley | 850 cc1300-2 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, noble Lords have not had the opportunity to hear from me on the Bill previously. I apol...; Lord Lilley | 850 c1302 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I am persuaded by the argument of the noble Lord, Lord Lansley, that his amendments are...; Baroness Chapman of Darlington | 850 cc1302-3 (Link to this contribution)
In response to the desire of the noble Lord, Lord Callanan, that we are clearer in the Bill about...; Lord Callanan | 850 cc1303-4 (Link to this contribution)
I thank the noble Lord, Lord Lansley, and others who contributed to this group. I am grateful to ...; Baroness Hoey | 850 c1304 (Link to this contribution)
Moved by
Baroness Hoey
47: After Clause 4, insert the following new Clause—
“De...; Baroness Hoey | 850 cc1304-6 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, as some comments were made on the previous day in Committee about how few Members there...; Lord Hannan of Kingsclere | 850 c1305 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I support the amendment moved by the noble Baroness, Lady Hoey. It would be interesting...; Earl of Leicester | 850 cc1307-9 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, in this amendment, we are talking about a democratic study of the Chagossian people. Ho...; Lord Callanan | 850 c1309 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Hoey, for moving this amendment, my noble friend Lord ...; Baroness Chapman of Darlington | 850 c1310 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I have said repeatedly throughout these deliberations that the Government are very inte...; Baroness Hoey | 850 c1310 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I thank the Minister for that rather thoughtful answer. I note that she did not rule ou...; Lord Lilley | 850 c1311 (Link to this contribution)
Moved by
Lord Lilley
63: After Clause 5, insert the following new Clause—
“Revi...; Lord Lilley | 850 cc1311-2 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, we are approaching the home straight now, which is good news. A lot of noble Lords have...; Baroness Goldie | 850 cc1312-3 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, my Amendment 88 in this group is very much in a similar vein to my earlier amendments, ...; Lord Coaker | 850 cc1313-4 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Lilley, and the noble Baroness, Lady Goldie, for their ame...; Baroness Goldie | 850 c1314 (Link to this contribution)
I am grateful to the Minister for giving way. I do of course understand the sensitivity of not di...; Lord Coaker | 850 c1314 (Link to this contribution)
I understand the point that the noble Baroness is making. What I am saying to her is that the Gov...; Lord Lilley | 850 c1314 (Link to this contribution)
That is very helpful and I entirely respect what the Minister says. He is a man of obvious integr...; Lord Purvis of Tweed | 850 c1315 (Link to this contribution)
Moved by
Lord Purvis of Tweed
80: After Clause 5, insert the following new Clause—; Lord Purvis of Tweed | 850 cc1315-6 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I shall speak also to Amendment 82, which is consequential upon Amendment 80. As the Mi...; Lord Hannan of Kingsclere | 850 c1316 (Link to this contribution)
My point is that there has not been a vote in the other place, so the only proper chance is here....; Lord Purvis of Tweed | 850 cc1316-7 (Link to this contribution)
No, the case that the noble Lord was making passionately was about the faults in the CRaG process...; Lord Callanan | 850 cc1317-8 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, this is the last group of amendments in Committee. I am delighted to see so many noble ...; Baroness Chapman of Darlington | 850 cc1318-9 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Purvis, for the considered and balanced contribution that ...; Lord Purvis of Tweed | 850 c1319 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I am glad there are so many witnesses who saw my ability to bring the noble Lord, Lord ...; Lord Callanan | 850 c1320 (Link to this contribution)
I was just going to give him another example, not at British level but at the European level. The...; Lord Purvis of Tweed | 850 c1320 (Link to this contribution)
I am grateful. We have even got some good elements of Brexit incorporated in this debate as well,...
Subjects: Compensation British Indian Ocean Territory Finance Nuclear weapons Mauritius Parliamentary scrutiny Military bases Diego Garcia Sovereignty Treaties USA Resettlement Chagossians Self-determination of states Chagos Islands
Legislation: Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill 2024-26
Link: View this Parliamentary proceeding on hansard.parliament.uk

Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill

Secondary information

Librarians' tools