Parliament could debate the UK's rewrite of relations with its colonies as early as this week.

For Premier Jennifer Smith on Friday gave MPs notice she intended to have a Parliamentary debate on the subject.

The move comes more than two months after UK Foreign Secretary Robin Cook unveiled the White Paper on its Overseas Territories.

Ms Smith refused media interviews on the decision to have the debate.

But her move came only a day after Opposition Leader Pamela Gordon tore into Government's silence over the issue and Ms Smith's issue of a press release asking that the UK Government set up a mechanism for citizens of the Overseas Territories to accept -- as well as reject -- full British citizenship.

The Premier's decision to introduce the White Paper debate as a "take note motion'' means it could be brought to the House of Assembly as early as Friday.

She acted after Ms Gordon accused Government of "a mushroom policy -- keeping us in the dark as long as possible.'' Ms Smith's press release stressed the importance of citizens being able to formally accept the automatic grant of full citizenship -- which is set to be legislated by the UK Parliament, with an option to refuse.

She said: "If you're saying you can have it or not as you wish, there must be some way to indicate that. There must be a method to accept.''