British Overseas Territories Bill [Lords] – in a Public Bill Committee am 9:45 am ar 6 Rhagfyr 2001.
Clause 2 does for citizens what clause 1 does for territories. It changes the terms British dependent territories citizenship and British dependent territories citizen, as provided for in the British Nationality Act 1981, into British overseas territories citizenship and citizen respectively. It also provides that all references to British dependent territories citizenship and citizen in any enactment, including secondary legislation, made before commencement of the Bill should be read as British overseas territories citizenship and British overseas territories citizen. The changes are the corollary of those made to the collective name of the territories. They are simply alterations of labels, not changes of substantive law.
I also welcome you to the Chair, Mr. Butterfill, and if the Bill continues at this rate, I look forward to serving under you for what may be a short time. We support the thrust of the Bill and wish it a speedy passage. Due to a prior commitment, I cannot be here for the full sitting this morning, but the speed of the proceedings may make that irrelevant.
Question put and agreed to.
Clause 2 ordered to stand part of the Bill.