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3. Other paragraphs of this Guidance may be drawn on as necessary.
BACKGROUND
4. All Falkland Islanders already have freedom to enter the UK
under an administrative concession announced in April. The Bill
represents a further step by granting the Islanders British citizenship
and thus automatically the right of abode in the UK.
5.
The Government have decided not to oppose Baroness Vickers'
Bill and have offered drafting assistance with a view to improving
it; an amendment containing provisions similar to those of the
present Bill was defeated on a tied vote at the Third Reading of
the British Nationality Bill last year.
6. In stating the Government's attitude to the Bill, Lord Elton
Under Secretary of State for the Home Office, said that it will be
contrary to the scheme of the Act to describe people as British
citizens when their connections are actually with a dependent
territory. However, referring to the Falklands conflict, Lord
Elton said that the Government accepted that these circumstances
should be considered to constitute a wholly exceptional case for
granting British citizenship to all the Islanders and that the
Government would therefore not oppose the Bill. He made it clear
the this will be a special case which must not establish a
misleading precedent. He also reaffirmed HMG's commitment to all
the Dependent Territories.
Distribution
*
NTD, HKGD, WIAD, EAD, SPD, MVD, SAMD, LEGAL ADVISERS, CCD, FID
Copies to:
Mr P D Brown, B4 Div, Home Office, Apollo House,
Mr P F Preston, DS11, MOD
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