To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has undertaken any work with the Department for Education on the teaching of English to students for whom English is not their first language.

The Home Office believe that it is important that individuals seeking to study in the UK speak English in order to follow their proposed course of study.

Before this Government, there were no immigration checks on the English language ability of students. Visa officers were tied by restrictive ‘points-based’ criteria and Border Force officers were forced to admit students who

could not speak English.

We introduced a requirement that students be able to speak English in August 2010. We formalised this and raised the bar in April 2011, increasing the standard to ensure students studying in English could actually follow their

course. In 2011 the Home Office introduced Secure English Language Tests (SELTs) for certain immigration routes.

The Department for Education has responsibility for teaching and learning for childrenin the early years and in primary schools as well as the teaching and learning for young people under the age of 19 years in secondary schools and in further education. Those who seek to study under the Tier 4 (children) route are exempt from English language requirements.

Given this the Home Office have not undertaken any work with the Department for Education on the teaching of English for students whose first language is not English.