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women but not on men. This would be broadly in line with the approach which has been adopted by a number of other countries which have recently revised their nationality laws.
Citizenship by naturalisation
51.
Under our present law, foreign nationals who seek naturalisation have to satisfy the Home Secretary, amongst other things, that they have resided here for at least five years; that they are of good character; that they have a sufficient knowledge of English; and that they intend, once naturalised, to remain here or linked to British interests abroad. Many Commonwealth citizens have an entitlement to citizenship and have to show only that they have been ordinarily resident here for five years. But increasing numbers are having to meet similar requirements paragraph 47 to those for naturalisation (Commonwealth citizens apply for registration, not naturalisation). There is no appeal against refusal of either naturalisation or registration.
52.
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There are three aspects of the procedure on which the Government will particularly welcome views the good character requirement, the language test and the absence of an appeals system.
Good character
53.
The requirement that applicants for naturalisation must be of good character is long-established. Over the years, records of what constitutes good character have been carefully kept, and the doctrine has been modified from time to time as society's views of acceptable behaviour and attitudes have changed. But the requirement is imprecise. It is after all easier to say that someone is of good character than to analyse why this is so. Different people are bound to have different views of what constitutes good character. Every effort is made to treat applicants consistently and fairly in this matter, but it is not always easy to administer the good character requirement satisfactorily.
54. But, equally, it is not easy to devise an adequate substitute. One way would be to limit consideration of character to criminal and financial matters. It might be said that someone was acceptable for naturalisation who had never been convicted of a criminal offence (with some exceptions); who was not awaiting trial for any offence; and who was not an undischarged bankrupt or a person barred from acting as a director under the Companies Act. The excepted criminal offences might be first, those which are "spent" under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974; and, secondly, offences which led to a custodial sentence of more than 30 months (and which cannot therefore be "spent" under 1974 Act) where the applicant completed his sentence not less than 10 years before applying for naturalisation.
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