British Nationality (Irish Citizens) Act 2024

Debate between Seema Malhotra and Gregory Campbell

Tuesday 15th July 2025 Westminster Hall

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Seema Malhotra)]

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Dr Murrison.

I thank the hon. Member for East Londonderry (Mr Campbell) for securing this debate about the British Nationality (Irish Citizens) Act 2024. I am grateful to him and to others who have campaigned on this issue, notably Lord Hay of Ballyore and the right hon. Member for Belfast East (Gavin Robinson). I also commend the hon. Member for East Londonderry on his long history of engagement; I found it very interesting and helpful to hear how he has progressed his arguments throughout his time in the House.

I note all the contributions so far and thank all Members who have contributed to the debate today. I put on the record my thanks to the right hon. Member for Belfast East, who is not here today, for his steps in bringing the Act before the House in December 2023. His constructive engagement with all parties has been extremely important in bringing the passage of the Act to its conclusion. I was also grateful to meet him earlier this year, when I said that I would do my best to try to ensure that we commence the Act before summer recess. I am extremely pleased that we have been able to do so and I am also very happy to continue our engagement on it.

Last week I was in Northern Ireland, where I was pleased to announce the commencement of the Act, which introduces a new section into the British Nationality Act 1981 to make it easier and cheaper for Irish citizens living in the UK to become British citizens, and it applies across the whole of the UK. The 2024 Act strengthens the relationship between our nations and recognises our shared history, geography and cultural links. While I was in Northern Ireland, I had the opportunity to speak to Cool FM and to The Irish Post to highlight the commencement of this historic piece of legislation.

I have spoken to many people who said they wanted to see us commence this Act because of how it recognises those shared cultural, historic and geographical connections. However, it is also important that Irish citizens who want to become British citizens should have a simpler pathway, which recognises that Irish nationals are treated differently from other nationalities for immigration purposes, as codified in section 3ZA of the Immigration Act 1971. Again, that must be viewed in the context of our historic relationship.

The new route represents that unique relationship between our two countries and builds on the common travel area arrangements that have benefited citizens of both nations for decades. It will enable eligible Irish nationals who have made their home in the UK to participate fully in British society while maintaining their Irish citizenship.

The Act that was introduced into the House of Commons by the right hon. Member for Belfast East initially sought to allow for people born in Ireland after 31 December 1948 to register as a British citizen if they had acquired five years’ residence in Northern Ireland. However, the previous Government and Home Office officials worked alongside the right hon. Member to expand the scope of the initial act to cover Irish citizens of any age.

The Government were pleased to continue the work of the previous Government in commencing the Act following the general election in July last year. Like the previous Government, we wholeheartedly support the underlying principles of the Act and have given due consideration to its different components.

[Mr Campbell]

Does the Minister agree that one of the incongruous parts of the legislative process is that when the Bill, which is now an Act, was being negotiated in the other place, Lord Hay, who she referred to, was part of the process of it becoming an Act despite the fact that, although he could vote on it, he could not acquire the passport? Indeed, he was trying to get the legislation passed to allow him to obtain one.

[Seema Malhotra]

I thank the hon. Member for that contribution. Indeed, he shared that when we met earlier this year. That was a helpful discussion, filling in the legislative and debate history as well as the personal history that contributed to where we have reached.

Hon. Members may be aware that the total cost for an adult to naturalise as a British citizen is £1,735, and the cost to register a child as a British citizen is £1,214. We agreed that those were not acceptable fee levels for applications made under the new route. Under the provisions of the new route, and in the context of a challenging fiscal climate, the application fee is 50% below that for other nationalities. It is £723 plus the citizenship ceremony fee for adults, which brings it to £853, and £607 for children. The fees for children can be waived if they are in the care of the local authority, or if it can be demonstrated that their families cannot afford them.

The new fees represent a substantial saving for Irish citizens resident in the UK who wish to become British citizens, and contrast with other fees associated with citizenship. The previous Government’s opinion from the Act’s passage through Parliament was that fees should be applied, subject to the usual process for establishing fees and charges for border and migration services. We believe that continuing the work in that spirit is the correct pathway for making the new route operational.

The Act extends across the whole of the UK. The decision on a fee, although recommended by the Home Office, is not solely a Home Office decision. The decision must be financially viable across the entirety of Government. It recognises that, although the route is easier, simpler and cheaper for Irish citizens, the checks and operations that are still required contribute to the costs of the migration and border system, as reflected in the fee.

I would like to make a couple of points about questions put by the hon. Member for East Londonderry. The citizenship ceremony is an important part of the British citizenship process. British nationality law requires all successful adults for naturalisation or registration as a British citizen to take an oath and pledge at a citizenship ceremony. They will also get the certificate needed for a passport application at that ceremony.

The hon. Member asked where citizenship ceremonies take place in Northern Ireland. They happen in Hillsborough castle or at Lagan Valley Island and are presided over by one of Northern Ireland’s eight Lord Lieutenants. I hope that is helpful to him in understanding some of the ways in which the operational side happens in Northern Ireland.

I thank all right hon. and hon. Members for their contributions, not just in Westminster Hall today but their work leading up to now. I am extremely pleased to announce that the new provisions set out in the Act will commence on 22 July. I reiterate our support for the underlying principles of the Act and our continued acknowledgment of the shared history and geography of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland with our friends across the Irish sea. We meanwhile look forward to welcoming applications from eligible Irish citizens via the new route in the near future. I look forward to continuing discussions with the hon. Member for East Londonderry and others as we move forward.

Question put and agreed to.

Financial Exclusion: Access to Cash

Debate between Seema Malhotra and Gregory Campbell

Tuesday 21st May 2019 Westminster Hall

[Seema Malhotra (Feltham and Heston) (Lab/Co-op)]

I beg to move,

That this House has considered financial exclusion and the future of access to cash.

It is an honour to serve under your chairship, Sir Henry. I thank the Backbench Business Committee for granting our request to hold the debate. I also thank the Access to Cash Review panel, Joe Fortune from the Co-op party, the RSA, Responsible Finance, Hounslow Council, UK Finance, the Payment Systems Regulator, the Treasury Committee Clerks, Visa, Mastercard, the Financial Inclusion Commission, Citizens Advice, the Money Advice Service, Age UK and many others for their help in preparing for the debate. I mention them as an indication of how widespread the concern is and how much of a contribution many stakeholders are making. I also declare an interest as a recent nominee to become a new commissioner on the Financial Inclusion Commission.

There is considerable interest in the debate, so I will try to keep my remarks to about 15 or 16 minutes. I will set out some of the context; where progress is being made, which we should recognise; opportunities that we should seize, including a particular mention for credit unions; and the importance of joining up to move forward together. I will also cover the potential for and importance of future legislation, which the Government have so far resisted and I am sure the Minister will mention.

As the map of stakeholders shows, access to cash is an important and complex issue that can no longer be primarily led by industry. We need a joined-up plan led by the Government that looks at the cost and effectiveness of our wholesale cash infrastructure, programmes for digital inclusion and incentives to diversify services based on complex customer needs. We need to ensure that those services can reach people, and that we both maintain free access to cash for those who need or choose cash as their method of payment and ensure that cash remains accepted.

There is clear cross-party interest, which the Chair of the Treasury Committee referred to in her recent correspondence with the Chancellor. That gives me hope and confidence that we are setting the right foundations for moving forward and addressing the challenges ahead.

Fundamentally, the bigger picture is inclusive economic growth and flexibility, security and choice in personal and family finance. Cuts to welfare, stagnant wages and economic instability in the last decade have exacerbated the precarious position of millions of people in the UK. The Money Advice Service estimates that 22% of UK adults have less than £100 in savings, which makes them highly vulnerable to a financial shock such as job loss or an unexpected bill. Some 8 million people rely on high-cost credit to pay essential household expenses, and may frequently turn to alternative forms of finance such as high-cost lenders or illegal loan sharks to make ends meet. Recent Financial Conduct Authority data shows that the number of high-cost short-term credit firms has decreased, but the volume of lending has increased.

Ten years ago, six in 10 transactions were made in cash, but by March 2019, that number had halved to three in 10. The combined number of banks and building societies is falling steadily, and in 2018, the number of free-to-use ATMs fell for the first time in 20 years.

[Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry) (DUP)]

I congratulate the hon. Lady on securing the debate. The issue of free-to-use ATMs is particularly acute in rural areas, and especially among elderly and more vulnerable communities, which should be at the forefront of the debate.

[Seema Malhotra]

The hon. Gentleman puts on the record an important and well-made point, which I will address later.