UK Parliament / Open data

Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Bill

My Lords, the noble Baroness will be relieved to hear that I shall not go over the registration point again, but I wish to take issue with her on the last amendment and what she said about the rights of abode of people other than those covered by this amendment. She said that they were precarious and that that was the reason for including them in Section 4B. I do not agree with her. Apart from the case of Idi Amin, which was some 38 years ago, the other persons whom she says have only a precarious right of abode in the territories where they reside are in fact secure. I cite the people who live in countries such as Malaysia, for instance. It is a functioning democracy with rules of human rights. It will not suddenly kick out people who have a second-class British nationality. The noble Baroness said in a letter that she wrote to me the other day, for which I am most grateful, that there was a difference between the people that we are seeking to bring into Section 4B and all those other groups who are now enfranchised, as it were. I investigated whether there have been any other cases since the days of Idi Amin, when British citizens have been kicked out of a territory where they had what the Minister calls a precarious right of abode. I could not find any. If the noble Baroness has evidence of that, I shall be delighted to hear it. It is not a matter that we can pursue this evening, but once again perhaps we can put it on the list of unfinished business that she and I can discuss when the Bill has gone to another place. In the meanwhile, I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. [Amendments Nos. 19 and 20 not moved.]
Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
679 c1201 
Session
2005-06
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
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