Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether Educational Testing Service will be permitted to tender to provide the Secure English Language Test.

The Home Office will follow the ‘Government Commercial Function: Standards on GOV.UK’ which define how all Government Departments should operate commercially to ensure strong commercial behaviours and delivering Value For Money (VFM). Non-compliance risks breaching ‘Managing Public Money (GOV.UK)’ guidelines that means the Accounting Officer cannot be assured of VFM. It could also be unlawful if actions do not comply with the laws relating to the procurement of public contracts. The primary laws in relation to the award of public contracts are the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (PCR 2015) on legislation.gov.uk where we are required to treat all suppliers equally and without discrimination and shall act in a transparent and proportionate manner.

This opportunity would be advertised in the usual manner and any interested party should register interest via Find a Tender service Find a Tender (find-tender.service.gov.uk)