Clause 5 - Acquisition by reference to the British overseas territories
British Overseas Territories Bill [Lords]
10:30 am
Mr Parmjit Dhanda (Gloucester, Labour)
This is the first Standing Committee on which I have served, and it is nice to serve on a Committee that has such unanimity. That is largely because the Bill is inclusive, and its most inclusive aspect is clause 5, which raises some interesting questions.
On adoption and abandoned children, the clause refers to an appointed day and the right of abandoned children to have British citizenship, which is positive. The Bill also closes some loopholes and allows the child of a couple who are British citizens to have British citizenship. However, what is meant by an appointed day? Could there be a time lag, especially in adoption, between the start of the process and an appointed day?