UK Migration

Baroness Coffey Excerpts

Thursday 9th July 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Coffey (Con)]

My Lords, I am very conscious that, under the points-based system, many people came into this country on a variety of visas. However, in the last two years, over half a million people have acquired British citizenship. What assessment have the Government made of the Home Secretary’s proposed policy change to extend the right to acquire ILR—and, I assume, citizenship—to 10 years, in terms of the number of people who will gain British citizenship in the next decade?

[Lord Hanson of Flint (Lab)]

We keep that matter under review. As the noble Baroness will know, we introduced an immigration Bill in the House of Commons last week, which will bring significant changes. This Government are trying to get control of migration and citizenship issues across the board, and we are doing our best to, dare I say it, rectify some of the difficulties of the previous 14 years.