703
British Nationality
[LORDS]
[BARONESS ELLES.] correspondence and pressure that we have had from those who are serving this country abroad in institu- tions of the European Community, I know that they will be extremely grateful to both the Government and this House for accepting these amendments.
On Question, amendments agreed to.
Clause 15 [Acquisition by birth or adoption]:
3.18 p.m.
Lord Geddes moved Amendment No. 7:
Page 15, line 5, leave out ("citizen of the British Dependent Territories") and insert ("British Dependent Territories' citizen ").
The noble Lord said: My Lords, to the best of my knowledge the phrase:
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"citizen of the British Dependent Territories appears exactly 100 times in this Bill as amended on Report; that is, excluding any reference in the Arrangement of Clauses. Your Lordships will have noted-doubtless with relief-that I have not tabled the necessary 100 amendments this afternoon, not least because we have now (dare I say it?) gasped our way as far as the Third Reading of this highly complex and more than somewhat controversial Bill.
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However, I am advised that it is the duty of both Government and Parliament to ensure that a Bill is complete, which in this context I understand could be interpreted as correctly drafted". I, therefore, trust that if this amendment is approved, the conse- quential amendments, which I believe to be 99, can be formally tabled and approved, preferably in another place or, failing that, when amendments from another place are discussed later in this House. Therefore, this amendment is solo and is placed as the first sub- stantive appearance of the phrase:
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citizen of the British Dependent Territories ".
In fact, I think that that phrase appears once only earlier in the Bill, in Clause 4(1), which as it happens chronicles four of the five categories of an individual's British status. Perhaps, as it very neatly highlights the purpose of this amendment, your Lordships will permit me to read that subsection. It reads:
"This section applies to any person who is a citizen of the British Dependent Territories, a British Overseas citizen, a British subject under this Act or a British protected person
99
The one remaining category is, of course, that of a British citizen. Thus, as presently drafted, four of the five categories start with the word "British "; namely, British citizen, British overseas citizen, British subject and British protected person. The odd one out at the moment is:
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citizen of the British Dependent Territories ".
Many of your Lordships will have been in the Chamber during the debate on 13th October on my Amendment No. 117A, which endeavoured to give the status of British nationality to the three categories of citizenship created by this Bill. This amendment was defeated, albeit very narrowly, and my noble friend on the Front Bench will be glad to hear that it is not my intention to resurrect that subject today. Indeed, it would be improper for me so to do, not least because manifestly it would be an abuse of this House's time.
Bill
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Nevertheless, I hope that I shall not be out of order in referring to remarks made in that debate as appro- priate to this amendment. My basic aim, as I said at that time, was,
"To underline the Britishness of each category of citizenship". My intention was not to wreck the Bill, nor to make any material alteration to it. This amendment is drafted to achieve the same end in a different way- albeit this time the amendment refers only to a "citizen of the British Dependent Territories ",
or perhaps I should say,
"
"British Dependent Territories' citizen ", since all the other categories already have "British as the first word of their title. In this context, I am delighted, as I am sure are all your Lordships, to see my noble friend Lord Kadoorie in his place today, I am sure we are all keenly awaiting his maiden con- tribution to our debate later this afternoon, which I am confident will underline the very real importance which the British Dependent Territory that he knows so well attaches to its British connections.
Again to the best of my knowledge, but this time of the English language, it is optional whether a phrase includes the words " of the or whether an apostrophe
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is placed in the relevant position before or after the letter S of the primary noun concerned, depending of course whether that noun is singular or plural. Thus, from the point of view of this Bill, my amend- ment, I contend most strongly, is neutral. The words "British Dependent Territories' citizen "
means pre- cisely the same in English grammar as "citizen of the British Dependent Territories ". However, from the point of view of the individuals concerned, it is very positive and very important that the word
66 British shall stand first in the title of their citizenship category. Indeed, my noble friend Lord Trefgarne said in reply to my Amendment No. 117A on 13th October,
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Neither can there be any doubt, in the Government's view, that the status of citizen of British Dependent Territories is a 'British "status".
I very much hope that this amendment will be approved. I beg to move.
Baroness Wootton of Abinger: My Lords, I should like warmly to support this amendment. Verbal niceties often have more importance than it appears at first sight. If all other categories of British citizen- ship have the word British" at the front, I believe it would be wrong and anomalous if this particular category had the word "British " later in its title.
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Lord Pitt of Hampstead: My Lords, I hope that the Government will support this amendment. The amendment does not in any way undermine the principles on which this Bill is based, and I have no doubt that it will have a very good effect.
Lord Tanlaw: My Lords, I hope that the Government will follow the advice of other noble Lords on this side of the House and will accept this amendment which will go a very long way to satisfying some of the doubts and worries which British overseas citizens have.
Lord Elwyn-Jones: My Lords, I, too, should like warmly to support this amendment. It is a much
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