My Lords, in view of the Minister’s track record in successfully resolving some of these issues outside the Chamber, I am very happy to accept the offer of discussions about Mrs A and people like her. Therefore, I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment 59A withdrawn.

My Lords, in view of the Minister’s track record in successfully resolving some of these issues outside the Chamber, I am very happy to accept the offer of discussions about Mrs A and people like her. Therefore, I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment 59A withdrawn.

My Lords, I think that there is a misunderstanding between the Minister and myself. A few minutes ago he mentioned what would happen at the juxtaposed controls if it was found that a child had been the subject of a criminal offence by someone outside the controls—we would hand them...

My Lords, I think that there is a misunderstanding between the Minister and myself. A few minutes ago he mentioned what would happen at the juxtaposed controls if it was found that a child had been the subject of a criminal offence by someone outside the controls—we would hand them...

Clause 56: Commencement Amendment 59A 59A: Clause 56, page 46, line 2, at end insert ““except sections 42, 43 and 44, which come into force on the day this Act is passed.””

Clause 56: Commencement Amendment 59A 59A: Clause 56, page 46, line 2, at end insert ““except sections 42, 43 and 44, which come into force on the day this Act is passed.””

My Lords, this amendment seeks to bring Clauses 42, 43 and 44 into effect when the Bill receives Royal Assent, leaving the rest of Part 2 until a day to be appointed by the Secretary of State. The reason for proposing this distinction is that the clauses in the amendment...

My Lords, this amendment seeks to bring Clauses 42, 43 and 44 into effect when the Bill receives Royal Assent, leaving the rest of Part 2 until a day to be appointed by the Secretary of State. The reason for proposing this distinction is that the clauses in the amendment...

My Lords, I am sure that several other noble Lords would like to take up the Minister’s invitation to discuss the duties that are to be placed on the UKBA as a result of Clause 53. In Committee, we were given assurances from the Minister in respect of guidance and...

My Lords, I am sure that several other noble Lords would like to take up the Minister’s invitation to discuss the duties that are to be placed on the UKBA as a result of Clause 53. In Committee, we were given assurances from the Minister in respect of guidance and...

Amendment 57ZB 57ZB: Clause 53, page 44, line 24, leave out ““who are in the United Kingdom””

Amendment 57ZB 57ZB: Clause 53, page 44, line 24, leave out ““who are in the United Kingdom””

My Lords, as the Minister said, we are talking about widows of war heroes. We are disagreeing only about the method by which we grant them a passport: whether it should be done as we suggest in this amendment or by the exercise of the discretion of the Home Secretary,...

My Lords, as the Minister said, we are talking about widows of war heroes. We are disagreeing only about the method by which we grant them a passport: whether it should be done as we suggest in this amendment or by the exercise of the discretion of the Home Secretary,...

Amendment 42A (to Amendment 42) 42A: Before Clause 43, line 6, at end insert— ““( ) After subsection (3)(b)(ii) insert— ““(iii) was a British citizen otherwise than by descent at the time of the birth of the child in question, or would have been such a citizen otherwise than by...

Amendment 42A (to Amendment 42) 42A: Before Clause 43, line 6, at end insert— ““( ) After subsection (3)(b)(ii) insert— ““(iii) was a British citizen otherwise than by descent at the time of the birth of the child in question, or would have been such a citizen otherwise than by...

My Lords, we are grateful to the Government for having listened to us on the registration of minors and for the various discussions that we have had with the Bill team during the past couple of weeks. Those discussions have led to this solution for the problem of the registration...

My Lords, we are grateful to the Government for having listened to us on the registration of minors and for the various discussions that we have had with the Bill team during the past couple of weeks. Those discussions have led to this solution for the problem of the registration...

My Lords, I am heartened to some extent by what the noble Lord said about exercising discretion where it can be proved that the child has a long-standing connection with the UK. In both the examples that I gave, the mother was absent abroad at the time of the child’s...

My Lords, I am heartened to some extent by what the noble Lord said about exercising discretion where it can be proved that the child has a long-standing connection with the UK. In both the examples that I gave, the mother was absent abroad at the time of the child’s...

Amendment 43A (to Amendment 43) 43A: Before Clause 43, line 15, at end insert— ““(4) A British National (Overseas) who is registered as a British citizen under this section shall be treated for the purposes of this Act as— (a) A British citizen by descent; or (b) a British citizen...

Amendment 43A (to Amendment 43) 43A: Before Clause 43, line 15, at end insert— ““(4) A British National (Overseas) who is registered as a British citizen under this section shall be treated for the purposes of this Act as— (a) A British citizen by descent; or (b) a British citizen...

My Lords, we are grateful to the Government for this amendment, which, as the Minister explained, solves a long-standing anomaly. When we transferred power over Hong Kong to the Chinese, we promised that the citizenship arrangements would leave no one stateless but, in the event, it turned out that certain...

My Lords, we are grateful to the Government for this amendment, which, as the Minister explained, solves a long-standing anomaly. When we transferred power over Hong Kong to the Chinese, we promised that the citizenship arrangements would leave no one stateless but, in the event, it turned out that certain...

My Lords, we have always thought that it was around 1,000, but I believe that the Home Office has estimated that it is a few thousand. No one really knows the number because there has been no census or poll of the people concerned and, obviously, not all of them...

My Lords, we have always thought that it was around 1,000, but I believe that the Home Office has estimated that it is a few thousand. No one really knows the number because there has been no census or poll of the people concerned and, obviously, not all of them...

My Lords, there is a bit of confusion between us, because I am talking not about people who may register under the British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1997 but about people who may or will register under the provisions of the government amendment and the type of citizenship that they...

My Lords, there is a bit of confusion between us, because I am talking not about people who may register under the British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1997 but about people who may or will register under the provisions of the government amendment and the type of citizenship that they...

Amendment 51 51: Clause 45, page 38, line 21, leave out subsection (2)

Amendment 51 51: Clause 45, page 38, line 21, leave out subsection (2)

My Lords, we really thought that the Government were getting somewhere with this amendment in Committee when the Minister agreed to reconsider the issue. The good character test was not a core principle of nationality law, as he asserted in his letter of 20 March, but was introduced less than...

My Lords, we really thought that the Government were getting somewhere with this amendment in Committee when the Minister agreed to reconsider the issue. The good character test was not a core principle of nationality law, as he asserted in his letter of 20 March, but was introduced less than...

My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Brett, will realise from the interventions made by the noble Baroness, Lady Hanham, and the noble Lords, Lord Ramsbotham and Lord Bridges, that the interest in the Chagos Islands in your Lordships' House, as in another place, is widespread and continuing. Although we will...

My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Brett, will realise from the interventions made by the noble Baroness, Lady Hanham, and the noble Lords, Lord Ramsbotham and Lord Bridges, that the interest in the Chagos Islands in your Lordships' House, as in another place, is widespread and continuing. Although we will...

Amendment 45 45: After Clause 43, insert the following new Clause— ““The Ilois: citizenship (1) Section 6 of the British Overseas Territories Act 2002 (c. 8) (the Ilois: citizenship) is amended as follows. (2) After subsection (2) insert— ““(2A) A person shall be entitled to register as a British citizen...

Amendment 45 45: After Clause 43, insert the following new Clause— ““The Ilois: citizenship (1) Section 6 of the British Overseas Territories Act 2002 (c. 8) (the Ilois: citizenship) is amended as follows. (2) After subsection (2) insert— ““(2A) A person shall be entitled to register as a British citizen...

My Lords, with this amendment, we return to the situation of the Chagos islanders, who were expelled from their homeland 40 years ago and are still hoping that, with the help of world public opinion, they will be allowed to return. We support that demand, but in this amendment we...

My Lords, with this amendment, we return to the situation of the Chagos islanders, who were expelled from their homeland 40 years ago and are still hoping that, with the help of world public opinion, they will be allowed to return. We support that demand, but in this amendment we...

My Lords, I add one word of thanks to the Minister for the amendment and those that go with it. We agree that there was a gap in the legislation and that the amendment seems to have adequately filled it, so that the exploitation of trafficking of babies for non-sexual...

My Lords, I add one word of thanks to the Minister for the amendment and those that go with it. We agree that there was a gap in the legislation and that the amendment seems to have adequately filled it, so that the exploitation of trafficking of babies for non-sexual...