Legislative Developments

In September 2008 Briefing Paper 8.28, summarising the contents of the Draft (Partial) Immigration and Citizenship Bill, gave an account of the Bill’s contents and of the views on it which we submitted to the Home Affairs Committee of the House of Commons……

… There is now before Parliament a Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Bill, which received its first reading in the House of Lords on 14 January and will have its second reading in that House on 11 February. The main purpose of the Bill is to give legal effect to the merger of immigration and customs functions in the UK Border Agency. It contains also certain new provisions on the acquisition of citizenship by naturalisation and on immigration. It does not cause Migration Watch any great concern, but it will bring to 11 the number of Acts of Parliament since 1971 and make ever more pressing the need for consolidation.

Read the full text of this Briefing Paper 8.33

Share this article

Public Attitudes to Migration

In November 2025, Migration Watch UK commissioned JL Partners to conduct a nationally representative poll of 1,520 UK adults on public attitudes toward net migration

Learn More

Policy & legal framework

Return to the Migration Glossary Table of Contents The laws, rules, and policies that govern the UK immigration system, from primary legislation to operational guidance.

Learn More

Institutions & bodies

Return to the Migration Glossary Table of Contents The government departments, agencies, courts, and advisory bodies responsible for managing and scrutinising immigration in the UK.

Learn More