Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Home Office
Monday 5th January 2026

(3 days, 23 hours ago)

Commons Chamber
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Mike Tapp Portrait Mike Tapp
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The Home Office English language testing procurement has formally launched. Given that there is a live process, I will not comment on that specifically. However, I can assure my hon. Friend that the delivery model must meet appropriate integrity requirements.

Blake Stephenson Portrait Blake Stephenson (Mid Bedfordshire) (Con)
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Nearly 17,000 companies licensed to sponsor worker visas have five or fewer employees, and over 3,000 of these have just one employee. Ministers have been unable to tell me how many inspections have been made of companies since the general election. How sure is the Home Secretary that these are not bogus companies offering a back door to Britain?

Mike Tapp Portrait Mike Tapp
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Any UK business can apply for a sponsor licence, provided that it complies with the relevant requirements. I will take that point away, look at it and come back to the hon. Member with more detail.