British Nationality
66
[20 OCTOBER 1981 ]
smaller proposal than the one moved earlier, but I believe it will prove to be very helpful for those con- cerned to be able to write the word British" not only in a hotel register but, more importantly, when making visa or similar applications. I hope that the mood of accommodation which has been reflected so far from the Government Front Bench will be met again on this occasion.
Lord Donaldson of Kingsbridge: My Lords, may I also support this amendment from this Bench?
Lord Belstead: My Lords, in reply to this amendment, I should first like to repeat a view which was expressed by my noble friend Lord Trefgarne to which I believe my noble friend Lord Geddes alluded; that this Bill in no way alters the present constitutional relationship between the United Kingdom and its dependencies. The Government nonetheless accept the force of the argument made by my noble friend Lord Geddes that many people in the dependencies may well prefer that their citizenship title should begin with the word "British". In principle, therefore, we accept the amendment. I must just add one point about the nuts and bolts. When moving his amendment, my noble friend pointed out that the consequential amend- ments which he reckons would be needed amount to exactly one hundred. At this late stage of the Bill it is perfectly understandable that my noble friend has not attempted to draft those amendments, and it would be asking a lot of the other place to do so instead. The Government would therefore wish to suggest that my noble friend's amendment be replaced in the other place with a provision that would make the term British Dependent Territories' citizen" interchange- able with "citizen of the British Dependent Territories." I hope that your Lordships will agree that that is a reasonable way in which to proceed, and, subject to that, the Government are pleased to accept this amend- ment.
Lord Elwyn-Jones: My Lords, I am not sure about the use of the word "interchangeable". What is the person concerned to do? Is he to make his choice? Would this not add to bewilderment? I am trying to be helpful, but I wonder whether the proposed solution will not cause a great deal of confusion. Apparently there are 100 references. We are very anxious that this change should be made, and I do not want to obstruct matters at all, but I am not at all happy about the dual meaning which the phrase will have throughout the Bill.
66
Lord Belstead: My Lords, I believe that if it is made perfectly clear in the Bill that citizen of the British Dependent Territories" shall be "British Dependent Territories' citizen as an interchanged definition, this would wholly meet the point which has been made by my noble friend Lord Geddes. The noble and learned Lord, Lord Elwyn-Jones, may ask, "Why are the Government responding in this way?" when we are accepting, as indeed we are, my noble friend's amendment. The answer is, although it would be impertinent of me to suggest that I have any under- standing of the rules of procedure in another place, that I doubt whether an amendment of this kind would
Bill
706
be accepted at Third Reading in another place- although I am delighted that the rules in your Lordships' House allow us to accept a valuable amendment of this kind. The inevitable consequence, if we do not go about things in the sort of way the Government arc suggesting, is going to be a major job of work involving a great number of people, who would have to go through the whole Bill to transpose the term citizen of the British Dependent Territories to
"British Dependent Territories" citizen-which, I underline, I accept on behalf of the Government and wish to insert by a declaration instead of making 99 other amendments.
**
r
Lord Elwyn-Jones: My Lords, I do not wish to crab. We welcome this amendment and, if this is the only way in which it can be done, so be it-although it is unfortunate that legislation is going through in this untidy form. The pressure of time which the Govern- ment have brought upon themselves makes this, alas, inevitable.
The Earl of Lauderdale: I wonder whether my noble friend would say how long it would take physically to do the reprinting that is necessary. Would it take one day, two days, three days, or a week?
Lord Belstead: My Lords, as I am not a printer, I cannot answer that question, and as I am not an official member of my right honourable friends depart- ment, neither can I answer how long it would take to go through the Bill and physically do the homework of getting it ready for the printer.
Lord Garner: My Lords, may I remind the House that "British subjects "and “ Commonwealth citizens " were interchangeable for a number of years without. any obvious embarrassment.
Lord Belstead: I am most grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Garner.
The Lord Bishop of London: My Lords, if the course which is proposed by the noble Lord is necessary, what I believe would make a considerable difference would be if the title in line 2 on page 15 could be changed and brought into line with the other titles. That is, after Part II" instead of "Citizenship of the British Dependent Territories", that line alone could be altered to "British Dependent Territories' citizenship ". That would make eminently clear what is intended by the other amendment.
**
Lord Belstead: My Lords, if, with the leave of the House, I may speak once more, of course I will take on board on behalf of the Government what the right reverent Prelate has said on this particular point. But we have looked at it, again with some speed, because quite naturally the noble Lord, Lord Geddes, was not able to give either himself or the Government a great deal of time-that was no fault of my noble friend at all; it was a question of the time factor. All I can say to the right reverend Prelate is that, if your Lordships accept this amendment as I very much hope you will do, we will look carefully so far as another place is concerned at the points that have been made.