EFFECT OF THE INTRODUCTION OF THE BRITISH NATIONALITY ACT 1981
4.
The BNA 1981 did not adversely affect anyone's immigration position
It divided the previously indivisible citizenship of the United Kingdom
and Colonies into three different citizenships:
a)
British citizenship for citizens of the United Kingdom
and Colonies who had the right of abode in the United Kingdom
under the Immigration Act 1971
b)
British Dependent Territories citizenship for CUKCS
connected with a dependent territory (with the intention that
they should have the right of abode in their respective territory)
c)
British Overseas citizenship for the rest, that is to say
citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies who were connected
with former dependencies and who did not have the right of abode
in the UK.
PROVISIONS IN THE BNA 1981 FOR REDUCING STATELESSNESS
5.
The current provisions for reducing statelessness are
contained within Schedule 2 to the BNA 1981. The purpose of these
provisions was specifically to enable the United Kingdom to continue to
comply with the requirements of the United Nations Convention. Schedule 2
therefore makes provision within the terms of the Convention whereby
stateless persons may in prescribed circumstances acquire British
citizenship, British Territories citizenship, British Overseas citizenship
or British subject status as appropriate. In some cases the acquisition
of the status in question is automatic, in other cases there is an
entitlement to registration if certain conditions permitted by the
Convention are met.
6.
During the course of the debates on the Bill the Government made
it plain that the provisions of Schedule 2 fully met the United Kingdom's
international obligations on statelessness. Indeed some of the conditions
which the Convention permitted us to impose were not imposed. Provisions are therefore even more generous than our international
obligations require.
The current
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