Overview

The Crown Employment (Nationality) Bill aims to remove existing restrictions on nationality for people employed by the Crown (the government) while allowing the government to introduce new, more targeted nationality requirements for specific roles.

Description

This bill makes two key changes:

• Removal of Existing Restrictions: It removes outdated laws that generally prevented non-UK citizens from holding certain Crown positions. This includes repealing sections of the Act of Settlement 1701 and the Aliens Restriction (Amendment) Act 1919.
• Power to Impose New Requirements: It grants the government the power to create rules setting nationality requirements for specific Crown jobs. These rules can apply to the employee and their close relatives (parents, spouses, civil partners, and those living as if spouses/civil partners, including parents of such). The government can also make exceptions to these rules for individuals already in such posts before a specified date.
• Exception for Sensitive Posts: The bill allows the heads of the Security Service, Secret Intelligence Service, and Government Communications Headquarters to grant or refuse exemptions for specific posts within their respective agencies.

The bill also repeals several older acts and orders related to nationality requirements for Crown employment.

Government Spending

The bill's financial implications aren't explicitly stated. It's likely to have minimal direct impact on government spending, as it primarily focuses on changing legal frameworks, rather than allocating new funds.

Groups Affected

• Non-UK citizens: The bill could significantly benefit non-UK citizens seeking employment with the Crown, particularly if current restrictions have limited their opportunities.
• UK citizens: This bill may have little direct impact on UK citizens, aside from the potential changes to the overall workforce dynamic.
• Government departments: Government departments will be impacted by the introduction of new nationality rules, as they will need to apply these rules to new appointments.
• Security Services: These services will be most significantly affected, given their ability to exempt individuals on a case-by-case basis.

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