16. But, it may be said, an exception has already been made for
Gibraltar. That is not so. People born, registered or naturalised
in Gibraltar, as well as their immediate descendants if born outside
Gibraltar, will be British Dependent Territories citizens. It is
true that, under section 5 of the Act, they may subsequently be
}
registered as British citizens. But section 5 gives special
treatment not to Gibraltarians specifically but only inasmuch as they
fall to be treated as United Kingdom nationals for European Community
purposes. Indeed, were the relationship of Gibraltar to the
European Community ever to change, section 5 might cease to benefit
Gibraltarians.
Gibraltarians as such are not mentioned.
17. Section 5 therefore provides no precedent for specifically
territory
mentioning one dependent and singling out its inhabitants for
preferential treatment. My point is illustrated by the fact that
the Bill which your Lordships are debating today is not based in any
way on section 5.
18. My Lords, I turn now to the basic point, which seems to me to be
this. In October last year, your Lordships voted, by the narrowest
possible majority, it is true, to roject an amendment which would have
8