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SUBJECT: FALKLAND ISLANDS (BRITISH CITIZENSHIP) (NO 2) BILL
Introduction
1. Lord Bruce of Donnington is expected to press for a
second reading of his Bill to amend the British Nationality
Act 1981 (BNA 1981) so as to grant British citizenship to
all Falkland Islanders. This will probably occur in the
second half of October and is likely to succeed.
2.
Amendment of the Act in this way would create very
serious problems for the FCO, particularly in the Hong Kong
context, and for the Home Office because of the precedent
it would set in regard to immigration. The Home Office
lead in nationality matters.
Objectives
3.
To decide what action the Government should take on
Lord Bruce's amendment.
Line to Take in Cabinet Committee
4.
Lord Bruce's amendment will reopen in Parliament the
wider issue of British Dependent Territories citizenship
(BDTC). BNA 1981 has few friends. There are some members
of both Houses who object in principle to its provisions
and might like to unravel the legislation before commence-
ment on 1 January 1983. Others, particularly Lord Bruce,
may wish to embarrass the Government. Whatever tactics are
/used