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Immigration: English Language

Asked by Chris PhilpConservativeHome OfficeTabled Answered 24 March 2026UIN 122166

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has conducted a risk assessment of fully online English language testing for migrants seeking to come to the UK.

Answered by Mike Tapp

The Home Office has carefully considered the risks of a remote delivery model as part of the procurement to replace current Secure English Language Testing arrangements.

The key risks centre on maintaining the integrity and security of the immigration system, including identity assurance, protection against impersonation, and confidence in the reliability of test results. The Home Office has engaged the market to understand what capability is available to maintain high standards of security and integrity and has developed a robust security schedule and solution requirements to ensure this remains at the heart of the digital by default solution.

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