Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to ensure that English language testing has (a) high standards and (b) testing integrity.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

We set high standards in all our services and the current English Language Testing Service is no exception, with Commercial expertise and OFQUAL regulation as well as day to day oversight and monitoring by a dedicated contract management team. Where issues are identified, we do not hesitate to act and we work with suppliers on a daily basis to monitor, manage and improve the service.

As part of the Home Office English Language Testing Procurement, we have engaged the market to understand what capability is available to maintain and enhance the highest standards of security and integrity and be innovative in our delivery, harnessing technology and industry best practice. These standards will be assessed as part of the procurement process and assured during implementation by rigorous technical testing and subject matter experts.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that English language immigration requirements are strengthened in the context of proposals to move English language testing for immigration purposes to a remotely proctored system.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The proposals contained within the Immigration White Paper 2025 will be delivered over the course of this Parliament, including new English Language Requirements.

The Home Office is committed to maintaining the highest standards of security and integrity in our immigration system whilst modernising services for legitimate applicants. The new service will enhance existing arrangements via robust and consistent identity management, increased monitoring of test takers and activity that is underpinned by stringent security and cyber security requirements. Detecting and combatting existing and emerging threats is at the centre of this service.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the report by the East of England APPG and Local Government East, published on 25 November 2025, entitled Opportunity East: One Year On; and what recent assessment she has made of trends in the level of (a) contribution to the public purse from the East of England and (b) economic growth potential in that area.

Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

The government’s approach to regional growth will drive growth in city regions, towns and communities and make the most of the opportunities in each part of the country, to make everyone better off. The government recognises the vital contribution the East of England makes to the wider UK economy and the significant growth the region has achieved.

Opportunity East: One Year On makes a strong case for the East of England and the role it can play in driving growth and prosperity, and we welcome the efforts of the APPG and Local Government East in raising the profile of the region and highlighting its great potential. We will consider the report with interest as we take forward our mission to kickstart growth across the country.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the East of England APPG and Local Government East's report entitled Opportunity East One Year On, published on 19 November 2025.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Opportunity East: One Year On makes a strong case for the East of England and the role it can play in driving growth and prosperity, and we welcome the efforts of the APPG and Local Government East in raising the profile of the region and highlighting its great potential. We will consider the report with interest as we take forward our mission to kickstart growth across the country.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the East of England APPG and Local Government East's report entitled Opportunity East One Year On, published on 19 November 2025.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Opportunity East: One Year On makes a strong case for the role of the East of England in driving growth and prosperity. We welcome the efforts of the APPG and Local Government East in raising the profile of the region and highlighting its great potential. Within the last year, the Department for Business and Trade has considered the report's recommendations in the development of the Industrial Strategy, sector plans and infrastructure priorities.

The Department will continue to work with regional partners to address barriers to investment, including housing delivery, infrastructure capacity and skills, to unlock the region's economic opportunities.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the East of England APPG and Local Government East's report entitled Opportunity East One Year On, published on 19 November 2025.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Opportunity East: One Year On makes a strong case for the East of England and the role it can play in driving growth and prosperity, and we welcome the efforts of the APPG and Local Government East in raising the profile of the region and highlighting its great potential. We will consider the report with interest as we take forward our mission to kickstart growth across the country.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the East of England APPG and Local Government East's report entitled Opportunity East One Year On, published on 19 November 2025.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

The Government welcomes the Opportunity East One Year On report. To support the region, the Chancellor unveiled the OxCam Growth Corridor last year which has the potential to boost the economy by up to £78bn by 2035. This initiative is supported by East-West Rail, which will provide faster journeys between Oxford and Cambridge and unlock up to 100,000 new homes.

During the Spending Review period, the Department will provide Cambridgeshire & Peterborough with £31.8 million to promote buses and £24.9 million to promote active travel schemes. This funding will support local residents to access jobs, education and services.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the report by the East of England APPG and Local Government East entitled, Opportunity East: One Year On, published in November 2025, what assessment he has made of the potential contribution of East of England to clean energy generation.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government recognises the East of England’s contribution to clean energy generation and the Clean Power 2030 mission. It is the home of Sizewell C. The region has also secured the highest offshore wind capacity allocation in AR7, with just over 6GW, driven by the large-scale Dogger Bank South and Norfolk Vanguard developments, building on an existing 3.7GW of offshore wind capacity.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she has had recent discussions with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on proposals to move English language testing for immigration purposes to a digital by default approach.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Home Office English Language Testing (HOELT) programme team have had preliminary scoping conversations with the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) Commercial Innovation Hub, including the Government Digital Service prior to launch of the live procurement.

Found: Q39 Daniel Zeichner: I am the Member of Parliament for Cambridge.

Found: Members present: Dame Chi Onwurah (Chair); George Freeman; Samantha Niblett; Dr Lauren Sullivan; Daniel Zeichner

Found: Darlington; George Freeman; Kit Malthouse; Samantha Niblett; Dr Lauren Sullivan; Freddie van Mierlo; Daniel Zeichner

Found: Darlington; George Freeman; Kit Malthouse; Samantha Niblett; Dr Lauren Sullivan; Freddie van Mierlo; Daniel Zeichner

Found: Darlington; George Freeman; Kit Malthouse; Samantha Niblett; Dr Lauren Sullivan; Freddie van Mierlo; Daniel Zeichner

Found: Darlington; George Freeman; Kit Malthouse; Samantha Niblett; Dr Lauren Sullivan; Freddie van Mierlo; Daniel Zeichner

Found: Darlington; George Freeman; Kit Malthouse; Samantha Niblett; Dr Lauren Sullivan; Freddie van Mierlo; Daniel Zeichner

Found: Q135 Daniel Zeichner: Certainly.

Found: the SFI was being shut—I think that it was a real shock and a real concern to Steve Reed and Daniel Zeichner

Found: Q135 Daniel Zeichner: Certainly.

Found: Gardner; Kit Malthouse; Samantha Niblett; Dr Lauren Sullivan; Adam Thompson; Martin Wrigley; Daniel Zeichner