Bermudians may find out today if legislation to give them full British citizenship and the right to live and work in the UK will be introduced in the next year.

The Queen's Speech, in which the UK Government outlines its legislative plans for the year, will be read today in the House of Commons and it may include the long-awaited Overseas Territories Bill.

With a British General Election predicted for next May, supporters of the bill fear it will be lost in the post-election mayhem if it is not introduced in the next legislative session.

Neither the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London nor Government House would reveal last night whether the Overseas Territories Bill will be included in the Queen's Speech.

The bill was announced in March 1999 and gives overseas territories' subjects the right to become UK citizens and live and work in the European Union.

Those who wish to reject British citizenship will remain a British Overseas Territories Citizen.

Citizenship bill Premier Jennifer Smith said last year that the bill is not expected to be debated in the House of Commons until late 2000 or early 2001.

Earlier this year Foreign Office officials said they were anxious to push the bill through Parliament, but said it was in a queue.

They added that with pressure from more urgent legislation and the possibility of emergency laws being presented, it was likely the bill could be bumped down the list.

If it makes it through Parliament in this session, each territory would become a "gatekeeper'' for those applying for status. And it would be up to individuals to prove their position in their application for British citizenship.

A Bermuda delegation attended a forum on the bill in the summer in the Caribbean.