15 July 2009
The historical rights of Channel Islanders to travel freely to the UK remain in place.
This is the result of the Home Office Minister, Phil Woolas MP, agreeing an opposition amendment in the final stages of the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Bill going through the House of Commons.
The Bill would have meant Channel Islanders could have needed to prove their nationality when entering the UK.
The Chief Minister, Senator Terry Le Sueur, has spoken of his concerns of the implications such a proposal would have had on our constitutional relationship with the UK. He commented: “I am clearly pleased that the amendment has been successful. We will continue to express our concerns about this issue to the Home Office and will do all that we can to ensure our historic travel rights to the UK are protected.”
However, the Home Office have said they remain committed to introducing these measures at some stage in the future.
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Notes to Editors:
1. For further information, please contact Mike Entwistle, International Relations on 440405
2. For the Hansard recording please see the following link:
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmhansrd/cm090714/debtext/90714-0017.htm
gov.je