The legislation will take forward any recommendations from the review of citizenship being led by former attorney general Lord Goldsmith.

The review is seeking to: clarify the legal rights and responsibilities associated with British citizenship, in addition to those enjoyed under the Human Rights Act; consider the difference between the different categories of British nationality; examine the relationship between residence, citizenship and British national status and the incentives for long-term residents to become British citizens and finally explore the role of citizens and residents in civic society, including voting, jury service and other forms of civic participation.