Part 9: Miscellaneous and General Chapter 1: Miscellaneous Section 159: Requirement to state nationality
Section 159 forms part of the law of England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
	This section inserts new sections 43A and 43B into the UK Borders Act 2007.
	New section 43A requires an individual who is arrested for an offence to state his or her nationality if required to do so by an immigration officer or constable. The officer or constable must suspect that the individual may not be a British citizen. New section 43B provides that an offence is committed if, without reasonable excuse, the person fails to comply with the requirement, either by providing false information, or not providing any information. The offence will be summary only subject to a maximum penalty (in England and Wales) of six months’ imprisonment, an unlimited fine, or both. Corresponding penalties in Northern Ireland will apply. (The section does not extend to Scotland on the basis of existing powers in Scottish law that allow officers to ask questions about nationality.)
	The purpose of the section is to help establish identity early in the process, in order to facilitate immigration checks, as well as direct overseas criminal records checks to the right country.