The bill granting full British citizenship to Britain's colonial subjects goes back to the House of Lords next week for what will likely be its final debate before being rubber-stamped by the Queen.

And British policymakers have guaranteed that the new law will be operative by May 21 this year.

British lawmakers have been actively mulling the British Overseas Territories Bill since 1998. A 1999 White Paper on a modern partnership with the colonies promised that full citizenship rights will be restored to the colonies.

Once The British Overseas Territories Bill is passed all British Overseas Territories Citizens will become British citizens and be entitled to a British passport and full rights of work and abode in the United Kingdom and the European Union. And, to allow time for the practical arrangements for issuing new passports, its provisions will become operative some time after the new law has received Royal Assent.

But the benefits of citizenship, such as reduced fees for education, would be only for those who take up residence in the United Kingdom.

Last week the bill had its third reading in the House of Commons, which approved some changes introduced at the Committee stage.

The amendments now have to be considered by the House of Lords, which originated the legislation. Next Tuesday has been set down as the date for that discussion.

One of the amendments was to include the Ilois people in the bill's provisions, while another dealt with the status of abandoned children. The Ilois were forcibly removed from the Chagos Islands in the 1960s and 1970s, to make way for an American military base.

During last week's House of Commons debate, Ben Bradshaw, the parliamentary undersecretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, assured his colleagues that the law would be operative by May 21 - the 500th anniversary of the settlement of St. Helena, one of the 14 colonies affected by the bill.

“We have every confidence that the practical arrangements will be in place to allow a commencement date well before St. Helena's Quincentenary on 21 May,” Mr. Bradshaw said.

“But.. in the unlikely event that the passport issuing arrangements are not in place by mid-May, we would make an order specifying 21 May as the commencement date.”