HL Deb 17 May 1999 vol 601 cc6-7WA
Lord Stoddart of Swindon

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office, George Howarth MP on 27 April (HC Deb., WA 112) in which he stated that a Commonwealth citizen is eligible in the same way as a United Kingdom citizen to stand for the European Parliament "wherever he or she is resident", whether "residency" means anywhere in the world and includes permanent as well as temporary residences. [HL2308]

Lord Williams of Mostyn

Yes, provided that the candidacy is for an electoral region in the United Kingdom European parliamentary elections. Unless a Commonwealth citizen also holds British citizenship, and thus is a citizen of the European Union, he or she is ineligible to be a candidate in European parliamentary elections in a member state of the European Union other than the United Kingdom.