TNAG-2976-FCO40-1245-Effect-of-the-UK-nationality-laws-on-Dependent-Territories-B-1981 — Page 116

BRITISH NATIONALITY BILL

HOUSE OF LORDS COMMITTEE STAGE

NOTES ON AMENDMENTS

WSB. 340/1

-

TATTO. ES

- 3 JUL 1981

The Lord Bethell

The Lord Boyd-Carpenter

The Lord Hughes

The Baroness Vickers

INDEX

tion Turen

NC

209

After clause 9, insert the following new clause:-

Right to registration by virtue of United Kingdom nationality for European Community purposes

•

("!

A person who is a United Kingdom national for European Community purposes by virtue of the operation of Article 227(4) of the Treaty of Rome or who has a right of abode in a British Dependent Territory to which the provisions of Article 227(4) of the Treaty of Rome apply shall be entitled, notwithstanding the provisions of Part II of this Act, on application, to be registered as a British citizen.")

RESIST

Effect of the amendment

The intention of the amendment is apparently to give an entitlement to British citizenship on application to citizens of the British Dependent Territories who hold that status by virtue of their connections with Gibraltar.

2.

Those who would benefit from the amendment fall into two groups. The fir are those who are nationals in respect of the United Kingdom for European Community purposes by virtue of the operation of Article 227(4) of the Treaty of Rome. Article 227(4) of the Treaty of Rome provides that the provisions of the Treaty of Rome shall apply to the European territories for whose external relations a member State is responsible; Gibraltar is the only British territory to which this provision of the Treaty of Rome applies. The anendreri therefore benefits those who are nationals in respect of the United Kingdom for European Community purposes through their ties with Gibraltar. Under the current definition of this term this entails those citizens of the United Kingdo