HC Deb 14 February 1978 vol 944 cc106-7W
Mr. Arthur Lewis

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether former immigrants who are now British citizens with full rights to settle and all rights of the indigenous population are treated as having the rights of free entry and settlement into any countries of the EEC in the same manner as British-born citizens and natives from other EEC countries who have rights to settle in Great Britain.

Dr. Summerskill

The Treaty of Accession to the European Communities includes a declaration made by Her Majesty's Government which defines those persons who are to be regarded as "United Kingdom nationals" for the purpose of the Treaty of Rome. It reads as follows:

  1. "(a) persons who are citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies or British subjects not possessing that citizenship or the citizenship of any other Commonwealth country or territory, who, in either case, have the right of abode in the United Kingdom and are therefore exempt from United Kingdom immigration control.
  2. (b) persons who are citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies by birth or by registration or naturalisation in Gibraltar, or whose father was so born, registered or naturalised."

Mr. Arthur Lewis

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether persons from former colonial countries of other EEC member States who have now obtained nationality of their new countries of residence are, under EEC rules of entry, allowed to enter and settle in Great Britain; and whether this applies to Surinamese who have emigrated and settled in the Netherlands.

Dr. Summerskill

The free movement rights apply only to the nationals, and their dependants, of member States as recognised under the Treaty of Rome. These rights are not affected by any previous status of the persons concerned or their country of origin.