Mr. J. Enoch Powellasked the Secretary of State for Defence under what provisions of the British Nationality Act 1948 and of the British Nationality Act 1981 registration as citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies or British citizens, as the case may be, of recruits who hold citizenship of the Irish Republic and no other is or, as the case may be, will be affected.
§ Mr. RaisonI have been asked to reply.
Citizens of the Irish Republic who apply for registration as citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies while serving in Her Majesty's Forces are normally registered under section 5A(2) of the British Nationality Act 1948—under which there is discretion to accept a shorter period of ordinary residence than the usual five years—or, if they are minors, under section 7 of the Act. Those who have been settled in the United Kingdom since before 1 January 1973 have an entitlement to registration under section 6(1) of the British Nationality Act 1948 as modified by paragraph 2 of the first schedule to the Immigration Act 1971.
When the British Nationality Act 1981 comes into force, citizens of the Irish Republic serving in Her Majesty's forces who wish to obtain British citizenship will normally have to apply for naturalisation under section 6 of the Act. Those who are minors may be able to be registered under section 3 of the Act and those who have been settled here since before 1 January 1973 will be able to look to section 7 of the Act.