Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Bill

My Lords, I thank the Minister for the correspondence and discussion we have had on these amendments which I tabled on Report. As the noble Lord, Lord Dholakia, said, they were not taken because it was rather late. The amendment to Clause 56 would preserve the current law that a person has to do something seriously prejudicial to UK interests or an overseas territory before being deprived of British citizenship. As the noble Lord, Lord Dholakia, explained, a similar amendment is proposed on the deprivation of the right to abode. The effect of Clauses 56 and 57 if they are not amended is that the Home Secretary need no longer be satisfied that an individual has done something seriously prejudicial to UK interests. He needs only to believe that deprivation is conducive to the public good. This is a much easier test to satisfy and is drawn from the test which must be satisfied in order to deport a person, subject to immigration control. A further effect could be that such a person could be stripped of citizenship and thereafter be at risk of deportation. This is a very serious matter for the individual concerned. The current test for deprivation of citizenship has been in force only since April 2003. Why is it necessary to make it far easier now to deprive individuals of citizenship? This drop in the standard of protection needs to be understood in the context that deportation itself is the most severe form of removal from the UK. The order remains in force after a person has been lawfully removed and prevents a person from returning lawfully until such time as it is revoked. This is a very important issue and it is not good enough for the test to be too general and subjective, which it is at the moment. Similar arguments relate to the removal of the right of abode. I do not intend to make a long speech as we are at Third Reading, but I hope the Minister will seriously consider my comments or those of the noble Lord, Lord Dholakia, because, for the individuals concerned, these are matters of extreme gravity.