Baroness VICKERSMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the first Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
The Question was as follows:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress has been made in the review of the British Nationality Act which was instigated two years ago concerning the legal rights of British subjects.
§ The MINISTER of STATE, HOME OFFICE (Lord Harris of Greenwich)My Lords, the review of nationality law is well advanced and the detailed studies which have been made into various aspects arc now virtually complete. But these will have to be carefully assessed and the Government have not yet reached any conclusions about changes that might be made in the law.
Baroness VICKERSMy Lords, in thanking the noble Lord for that reply, may I ask whether there will be progress in the near future, and, if so, what is meant by " the near future "? I gather that it is over two years since the review was started, and it would be advantageous for all concerned if they were to know how they will stand in the future.
§ Lord HARRIS of GREENWICHMy Lords, as the noble Baroness rightly said, this matter has taken a substantial amount of time, but the issues involved are of a highly complex character. I do not think that I want to say more than I have today. I do not wish to give any firm date as to when we would be in a position to make a Statement, but we are well aware of the need to press on with this matter.
§ Lord HARMAR-NICHOLLSMy Lords, is the noble Lord aware that there is growing disquiet that the boundaries defining British nationality are so hazy? We seem to be a nation without a nationality. Since considerable detailed examination will have to be given to this Lord HARM AR-NICHOLLS: My matter, can the noble Lord speed up the publication of the Statement or the White Paper which will enable us to see that something practical is being done before the feeling of disturbance which is now in people's minds becomes deeper?
§ Lord HARRIS of GREENWICHYes, my Lords; I think there is anxiety on this matter. I am not sure that the country as a whole is quite as seized with this problem as the noble Lord has suggested, but there are important issues involved here and certainly there is no disposition on our part to delay unnecessarily.
§ Lord O'HAGANMy Lords, will the conclusions of the review be published and, if so, in what form—a Green Paper, a White Paper or a Consultative Document of another type?
§ Lord HARRIS of GREENWICHMy Lords, this is one of the matters which will have to be considered.
§ Lord O'HAGANBut, my Lords, will the conclusions be published? Can the noble Lord give a firm undertaking that some form of Statement as to the Government's intentions will be published at the conclusion of the review?
§ Lord HARRIS of GREENWICHMy Lords, I repeat that this is one of the matters which will have to be considered.
§ Lord ORR-EWINGMy Lords, will the noble Lord be a little more forthcoming and say whether it is hoped to make a Statement either in this House or in the other House before the Summer Recess? After two years of delay, and following increasing anxiety on this issue, can the noble Lord aim to produce a Statement, giving clarification of this matter, before we rise?
§ Lord HARRIS of GREENWICHMy Lords, I do not want to give any firm undertaking about when a Statement could be made; I am not in a position to do that today. The noble Lord referred to two years' delay, but I would 939 not put it in quite those terms. The matter has been discussed and considered over two years, which is a rather different point.
Viscount ST. DAVIDSMy Lords, can the noble Lord give us any hope that we shall be able to get rid of the strange state of nationality which Hansard once misprinted as " partial "? Is there any hope of our getting a European aspect of nationality, which now seems to be due?
§ Lord HARRIS of GREENWICHMy Lords, if I were to give any encouragement on the latter point which the noble Viscount made, then any Government announcement might be held back for a substantial period of time. With regard to the noble Viscount's first point, this is one of the matters which no doubt has been considered in the review.
§ Lord CARR of HADLEYMy Lords, is the noble Lord aware that before his Government took office a very serious study of this matter was being undertaken? I was always under the impression then that this was not a matter for Party division. The noble Lord will recall that, when I was Home Secretary, he and his colleagues in another place were pressing me very hard about the urgency of this matter. That was over two years ago and the matter is still most urgent.
§ Lord NUGENT of GUILDFORDMy Lords, as the noble Lord seemed unable to tell the House that there will be a public Statement, will he take on board what is, I think, the general impression from all sides that this is a matter of great public interest and that it is most desirable, in the interests of everybody, that there should be a public Statement? Therefore, will the noble Lord accept that there is a very strong case for making a public Statement?
§ Lord HARRIS of GREENWICHMy Lords, I certainly take note of what the noble Lord has said.
§ Lord HARMAR-NICHOLLSMy Lords, is the noble Lord aware that one cannot disregard the demeanour at the Box? Since the noble Lord usually 940 inspires confidence, the fact that he is obviously working to a brief, which does not enable him to give us even minimum information on this important issue which has been under review for two years, is, in itself, disturbing. Will he urge his right honourable friend to give him the power to say something which can put the public's mind at rest?
§ Lord HARRIS of GREENWICHMy Lords, I always do my best to stick to my brief.