Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, following reports that the French Senate has approved a bill amendment giving British second-home owners in France an automatic long-stay visa right without any formalities, whether they would support reciprocal rights; and what assessment they have made of the prospects that any such agreement would be successfully implemented.

The UK government regularly discusses citizens' rights with French and other European counterparts.

Whilst the UK government would welcome any changes to visa systems that would benefit UK nationals, this is a matter for national governments and parliaments. We are not currently negotiating any reciprocal agreements.

We will continue to follow the passage of the French Immigration Bill closely and stand ready to inform British nationals of any changes which may affect them, should they become law.