7.
Then there is one change, which was made in another place despite strong
arguments by the Government. This in effect gives people from Gibraltar an
entitlement to British citizenship. Members will recall that there was a lengthy
debate on this point on Report, and this House then agreed that no such change
should be made to the Bill. The House will wish to consider the matter again in
the light of the amendment made in another place, though I have to say now that
the Government will not themselves be proposing that the House should disagree to
the amendment made in another place on this point.
8. I will not go on through all the amendments but it will be clear from what I
have said that there is a substantial amount of business for this House on the Bill.
¡
9. But the time available for this business is limited. The Government attach the
greatest importance to the passage of this measure this session. It is long overdue
and badly needed. We cannot go on with the uncertainties and confusion created by
the outmoded arrangements for citizenship of the United Kingdom and Colonies and it
is more than time, for the sake of all sections of the people of this country, that
we had a distinctive British citizenship which carries with it the right of abode.
The end of the current session is, however, only a matter of days away, and time must
be allowed not only for consideration of amendments made in another place but also
for any subsequent exchanges between this House and another place that may be necessary
10.
Mr Speaker, we therefore have to reconcile the business that still has to be
done on this Bill by this House, with the time available in which to do it. We believe
·
that a motion of the kind we now introduce is the only productive solution to this
dilemma. We regret that we have to take this step but frankly we
see no realistic
alternative to it.
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