Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Murray of Blidworth on 28 June (HL8499), whether the forthcoming amendment to the British Nationality (Overseas Territories) Regulations 2007 will delay active UK-based BIOT (Chagossian) approved applicants from proceeding with their ceremonies in the UK; and if so, whether the right to waive on a case-by-case basis will be extended to the local authority registrars administering that part of the oath.

We do not anticipate that the forthcoming amendment to the British Nationality (Overseas Territories) Regulations 2007 will delay Chagossians in the UK from proceeding to attend their citizenship ceremony in the UK. The power to waive elements of a citizenship ceremony in the UK is exercised by the Home Office, on behalf of the Secretary of State, on a case by case basis. There are no plans to amend the British Nationality Act 1981 to allow local authority registrars to waive citizenship ceremony requirements.