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Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Bill [HL]

My Lords, we have tabled this amendment so that we have another opportunity to discuss probationary citizenship leave. The discussion in Committee was quite frustrating, because we spent a lot of time on the name "probationary citizenship" rather than on the principle of what it adds to the citizenship journey. It was clear from the government amendments and the debate in Committee that the Government’s drafting and thinking on the amendments are not as advanced as they ought to be. Given that the Government propose to introduce a draft Bill in October, there is the opportunity to return to these provisions when thinking is a bit more advanced and the proposals are sufficiently developed for us to scrutinise them. As drafted, probationary citizenship is no more than another name for temporary or limited leave, which is why our amendment seeks to actually call it what it is. As named now, it contributes to the complexity of the Government’s naturalisation proposals. It gives the impression, by renaming it, that something new and different is being proposed, when it is actually the same process by another name. While we are on the matter of the name, it is worth noting that the consultation threw up the fact that the very word "probationary" has negative overtones and makes people tend to think of someone who has done something wrong and is on probation. I am sure that is not the Government’s intention—I am sure that they have heard this view before—but it would be good, if they intend to change the terminology, if they could think of something more positive. The main reason to question this again is that the debates we had before dinner have shown very clearly that we are talking about the same process but simply renaming it. I would be grateful if the Minister could elucidate what the Government’s thinking is on what this actually adds to the object that we are all trying to achieve, which is to have a much better assimilation programme. We do not feel that simply renaming it in this way is the strongest way of achieving it. I beg to move.