Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of moving to digital by default on the security of English language testing.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
We have engaged the market to understand what capability is available to maintain the high standards of security and integrity of the test and have developed a robust security schedule and solution requirements to ensure this remains at the heart of the digital by default solution. Security measures will be assessed as part of the procurement process and assured during implementation.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on the number of other countries that are using methods similar to the proposed remote and digital by default testing for English language requirements for UK visas.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
Home Office English Language Testing, post procurement and implementation in late 2027/ early 2028 will be one of the first primarily remote language testing services for government, with significant benefits to customers, strengthened identity management and security and much greater visibility and control over the service for the department. The service will include proven elements of existing Home Office delivery including identification technology to assure identity, audit and assurance processes and robust oversight of services and delivery.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of students obtaining a student visa for study at a higher education provider since July 2024 have provided proof that they can speak English.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
All successful Student visa applications to study at a Higher Education Provider (HEP) must demonstrate that they meet the English language requirement as specified in the Immigration Rules.
The ways that English language can be demonstrated can be found at:
Immigration Rules - Immigration Rules: Appendix Student - Guidance - GOV.UK
Immigration Rules - Immigration Rules Appendix English Language - Guidance - GOV.UK
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether foreign language courses taught at UK institutions are proof of English language for visa applications.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
All applicants must be able to demonstrate the required level of English Language for any visa application as per the Immigration Rules.
There are a variety of ways applicants can meet the English language requirement set out on the Immigration Rules, including holding a degree-level qualification. Guidance on how a person can meet the requirements for the route they are applying under is available on the gov.uk website.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the move to remote and digital by default English language testing for UK visas on the public purse.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
Today’s Secure English Language Testing concessions collect all applicants’ fees with no return to the department to cover the costs of managing and overseeing delivery. There will be a net positive benefit to the public purse for this new HO ELT service.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of students obtaining a Student Visa for study at a higher education provider since July 2024 have provided a Secure English Language Test from an approved provider.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
All successful Student visa applications from a Higher Education Provider (HEP) must demonstrate that the student has the required English Language.
The Study Sponsor Guidance sets out the requirements for a sponsor’s duty for English Language assessment on page 31. It details how a HEP with a track record of compliance can self-assess English Language. If not a HEP with a track record of compliance, it details how students demonstrate their English language competence.
Student Sponsor Guidance - Document 2: Sponsorship Duties
A sponsor who is self-assessing may use a SELT. There are no published statistics showing this breakdown.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of Secure English Language Tests were obtained via remote testing in 2024-25.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The current Secure English Language Testing contract is one that was tendered and awarded for physical test sites therefore, remote testing is not currently offered as part of the Secure English Language Test service.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to hold a trial of the proposed remote and digital-by-default method of English language testing for visas.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
As part of the procurement, we have undertaken significant Market Engagement that has already assessed the deliverability of the service and there will be robust processes for evaluation of bids and subsequent mobilisation that will assure that the service is secure, safe and delivers our intent. This will include significant IT testing including robust quality assurance testing and an implementation that follows standard agile delivery phases, including private and public beta stages with defined entry and exit criteria that must be met before progressing and scaling the solution.