THOSE BORN ABROAD

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 40, 16 August 1944, Page 8

THOSE BORN ABROAD

SERVICEWOMEN'S CHILDREN

The British Government has decided to ensure that illegitimate children born to , British '■ servicewomen abroad can obtain British nationality, states an exchange. Miss Irene Ward (Cons.) spoke in the House of Commons on the situation which had been brought to her notice on a tour of the Middle East. She found that even if it was proved that the child's father was British the child was still not entitled to. any nationality. . ■ Miss Ward said she was not satisfied with the argument that the child could apply for naturalisation at 16. She insisted that the child might be handicapped in trying for scholarships or in sitting for Civil Service or other examinations. The Under-Secretary to the Home Office Mr. Peake, on behalf of the Home Secretary, Mr. Morrison, said that after a special conference Mr. Morrison had decided he could do nothing under the. present law, but he was prepared to issue a certificate or naturalisation, to become legally • effective when the child itself took the oaths of allegiance. This could be done before the age at which any disability would result from the child s lack of, citizenship. ■ . . ■ Mr. 'Peake said that on the decision, taken only that day, he would not like to say at what age the oath of these children would be accepted, but it would be somewhere about 12 or 14.