MILISH NATION LA TY BILL
HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMITTEE STAGE
AMENDMENTS 226 AND 227
ADDITIONAL SPEAKING NOTE
Separate citizenships for the British Dependent Territories
The right hon Gentleman, in making these amendments, has pressed with his
right usual eloquence, the arguments for a seperate citizenship for each dependint territory, within a common framework.
2. The Government has carefully considered this possibility, but we have concluded that it is not feasible, and that a composite citizenship of the British Dependent Territories would suit the needs and interests of the dependencies better.
3. Let me begin with the practical problems. As we said, in the White Paper, the dependencies vary greatly in size and political organisation. Some are very small and are in no way ready to have a separate status. It would for instance be quite ebsurd to have a separate citizenship of the Sovereign Base Areas in Cyprus, or of
incenfonsul
the British Antarctic Territory. We agree with the right hon Gentleman that citizenship should be meaningful and reflect a real relationship between the individ- ual and the society of which he is part. But the smaller dependencies too small for this those who belong to them must, for international purposes, be regarded as part
of a wider group of territories] in any meaningful way
that we should
are
4. It will be urged/nonetheless let those territories which are sufficiently developed and homogenous, have their own citizenships. They are after all in many cases larger then some independent countries and it will be said that there is no reason why they should not enjoy a separate citizenship status.
of any looger
5. But where would this leavethe smaller territories? Those who were left with the citizenship of the British Dependent Territories would inevitably feel that they had a second-class subordinate status. They would resent the separate citizenships enjoyed by the other dependencies and might well seek special privileges, perticularly
a sene
•
adaputopis could
the larges
as regard entry to the United Kingdom to offset this sense of inferiority.] might well fuel. And if it were
sugusted that the small" Penituril
be brought into Brimin Citizenship
es would regent it. They went feel That the object readily was to exchole them particular f Bittish Citizenship (which would of worse be them first chover if of were available) and distance them from the UK.
LA
A
of the citizenship scheme
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