Imples acceplane 113-tier
could hold British passports. But it would not, of course, give the
right of entry to the United Kingdom. The status could not be passed
This device, however, would not be in accordance with our general
idea of what is right for British Overseas Citizenship, that is that it
on.
4
should be limited to people who are now our citizens but have no
connection with the United Kingdom or a colony and that it should not
(save for wives) be acquired by additional people after the date on
which the new Act comes into force.
Summary
10.
It is suggested that the proposals already made deal adequately with the
position of people who go abroad for short terms and have their children born
overseas. The difficulty lies with people who have a long tradition of overseas
service and at the moment, in foreign countries, are able to pass their
citizenship on. The fact that citizenship will in future descend in the female
line will help many of these people; but apart from this, the ability to pass
on British status, which could readily be accorded in 1948 when there was no
real immigration problem, can no longer be so generously given because of the
inevitable consequence that concessions would be exploited to add enormously
to the liability of the United Kingdom to accept people for settlement.
Home Office
August, 1979