To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for UK citizenship are expected from members of Commonwealth countries serving in the UK armed forces in the next three years. (115287)

Following the change of policy that I announced on 22 November 2006, Official Report, column 68WS, and based on current service records held by the Ministry of Defence, we estimate that approximately 1,500 members of the UK armed forces are currently eligible to apply for naturalisation and that between 700 and 1,900 may be expected to be eligible in each successive year. There is, however, no requirement on them to apply for British citizenship.