LO
5
British Indian Ocean Territory and British Antarctic Territory
Last, but not least, of our Dependent Territories are the
British Indian Ocean Territory and British Antarctic Territory,
neither of which has an indigenous population. The question of their independence does not therefore arise. There is therefore question of
population seeking independence.
Citizenship
OL
Rocal
no
My right honourable Friend also touched upon the question
of citizenship of the peoples of our dependent territories. The Green Paper published by the previous Government envisaged only
two types of citizenship, British Citizenship and British Overseas Citizenship. All persons who held Citizenship of the
United Kingdom and Colonies (CUKC) by virtue of a connection
with a Dependent Territory would have acquired British Overseas Citizenship. In the White Paper this Government, in June 1980, considered this proposal but were impressed by the argument that
recognition of the status of Dependent Territories should be
given in citizenship terms. In the same way that British Citizenship is acquired by those with a specified link with the
United Kingdom, British Dependent Territory Citizenship reflects a connection with a Dependent Territory. Nothing has changed
this Government's view that the status of British Dependent
Territory Citizenship should remain and that it should apply
equally to all dependencies. As Ministers have emphasised on many occasions, the establishment of the new forms of
citizenship in no way weakened HMG's commitment to the Dependent
Territories. I am happy to repeat that assurance now.
[Defensive
Subject to certain exceptions the EEC Treaty applies to Gibraltar (See Article 227(4) of the Treaty and Article 28 of
the Act of Accession). Section 5 of the British Nationality Act
1981 enables Gibraltarians who are to be treated as nationals of
the UK for Community purposes to be registered as British citizens. In the case of other Dependent Territories the
British Nationality Act permits registration for British Dependent Territory Citizens after five years' residence in the