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Diego Garcia: USA

Asked by Martin WrigleyLiberal DemocratForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled Answered 9 June 2025UIN 55603

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what proportion of UK-US sub-rental of Diego Garcia atoll will be offset in the next financial year by the same year's equivalent payment of the UK's exit deal of the Chagos islands.

Answered by Stephen Doughty

As agreed in the US-UK Exchange of Notes which governs the US use of Diego Garcia, there is no direct payment between the US and the UK for use of the base. The US pays for the operating and maintenance costs of the Naval Support Facility on Diego Garcia, which are significant. The US supports the Treaty, with US Secretary of State Rubio publicly noting that the Treaty "secures the long-term, stable, and effective operation of the joint US-UK military facility at Diego Garcia".

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