Written questions by Lowe.

How many IELTS test centres operating abroad were suspended or de-authorised in each of the last five years.

The Home Office only permits the use of UKVI approved centres that meet the standards under the Secure English Language Testing (SELT) contracts and does not have responsibility or oversight of the IELTs network which is a separate arrangement to SELT contracts. We therefore do not hold numbers on activities in relation to IELTS.Every application where English language evidence is provided as a SELT is checked, including that the person on the test result is the person they say they are, to assure its genuineness. Where there may be an issue around the genuineness of a SELT supporting an application for immigration leave, that application may fall for refusal. Where fraud or malpractice is suspected we have robust process in place with the supplier to take action where required.UK Visas and Immigration oversees the centres operating Secure English Language Testing (SELT). Integrity of centres is monitored and managed via a number of contractual and operational processes and measures including that all centres must be audited and where malpractice or concerns are suspected, UKVI personnel will conduct unannounced audits of centres and ask them to cease operation where needed.The use of proxies, and all other types of fraudulent activity, are assessed routinely by UK Visas and Immigration teams who ensure the integrity of these services. Where risks are identified swift action is taken including suspension of test centres pending investigation, results being withheld or cancelled and appropriate action against test takers.

How many non-British people received 15 hours of free childcare in the last financial year.

The requested information on nationality is not held by the department.Information on children under 5 registered for government funded entitlements in England and on providers and staff delivering them, is published in the ‘Funded early education and childcare statistics’ publication, which can be accessed here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/funded-early-education-and-childcare/2025.

What proportion of internationally recruited NHS workers were required to retake the International English Language Testing System more than once to meet employment eligibility criteria between 2020 and 2025.

The Department does not collect data on repeat International English Language Testing System (IELTS) attempts or average test scores for National Health Service staff. Information on English language competence for professional registration is held by the relevant United Kingdom healthcare regulators. Any assessment data for candidates applying to join the NHS Performers List would be managed by NHS England, while local NHS trusts and employers may hold records of candidate performance where assessments form part of their recruitment process. Additionally, IELTS publishes global test statistics on its website, at the following link:https://ielts.org/researchers/our-research/test-statistics

If she will establish a limit on the proportion of foreign national officers that may be employed by each police force.

Decisions about police recruitment, including how recruitment and selection processes are run, are a matter for Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners and are therefore managed locally by forces. This is done within a national application, assessment and selection framework, in line with national guidance maintained by the College of Policing. Forces are also expected to act lawfully in line with equalities legislation and adhere to best practice in this area when carrying out recruitment.Police forces that reflect the communities they serve are crucial to tackling crime and maintaining public trust and confidence in a modern diverse society. A person of any nationality may apply to be a police officer in England and Wales, subject to candidates satisfying eligibility and vetting requirements, including meeting relevant residency criteria.

Whether any data is held by his Department on the number of applicants who submitted invalid or forged IELTS results as part of higher education or visa applications.

The Home Office only permits the use of UKVI approved centres that meet the standards under the Secure English Language Testing (SELT) contracts and does not have responsibility or oversight of the IELTs network which is a separate arrangement to SELT contracts. We therefore do not hold numbers on activities in relation to IELTS.Every application where English language evidence is provided as a SELT is checked, including that the person on the test result is the person they say they are, to assure its genuineness. Where there may be an issue around the genuineness of a SELT supporting an application for immigration leave, that application may fall for refusal. Where fraud or malpractice is suspected we have robust process in place with the supplier to take action where required.UK Visas and Immigration oversees the centres operating Secure English Language Testing (SELT). Integrity of centres is monitored and managed via a number of contractual and operational processes and measures including that all centres must be audited and where malpractice or concerns are suspected, UKVI personnel will conduct unannounced audits of centres and ask them to cease operation where needed.The use of proxies, and all other types of fraudulent activity, are assessed routinely by UK Visas and Immigration teams who ensure the integrity of these services. Where risks are identified swift action is taken including suspension of test centres pending investigation, results being withheld or cancelled and appropriate action against test takers.

What steps her Department is taking to monitor the integrity of International English Language Testing System test centres operating abroad.

The Home Office only permits the use of UKVI approved centres that meet the standards under the Secure English Language Testing (SELT) contracts and does not have responsibility or oversight of the IELTs network which is a separate arrangement to SELT contracts. We therefore do not hold numbers on activities in relation to IELTS.Every application where English language evidence is provided as a SELT is checked, including that the person on the test result is the person they say they are, to assure its genuineness. Where there may be an issue around the genuineness of a SELT supporting an application for immigration leave, that application may fall for refusal. Where fraud or malpractice is suspected we have robust process in place with the supplier to take action where required.UK Visas and Immigration oversees the centres operating Secure English Language Testing (SELT). Integrity of centres is monitored and managed via a number of contractual and operational processes and measures including that all centres must be audited and where malpractice or concerns are suspected, UKVI personnel will conduct unannounced audits of centres and ask them to cease operation where needed.The use of proxies, and all other types of fraudulent activity, are assessed routinely by UK Visas and Immigration teams who ensure the integrity of these services. Where risks are identified swift action is taken including suspension of test centres pending investigation, results being withheld or cancelled and appropriate action against test takers.

What systems her Department has in place to verify the authenticity of IELTS certificates submitted with visa and immigration applications.

The Home Office only permits the use of UKVI approved centres that meet the standards under the Secure English Language Testing (SELT) contracts and does not have responsibility or oversight of the IELTs network which is a separate arrangement to SELT contracts. We therefore do not hold numbers on activities in relation to IELTS.Every application where English language evidence is provided as a SELT is checked, including that the person on the test result is the person they say they are, to assure its genuineness. Where there may be an issue around the genuineness of a SELT supporting an application for immigration leave, that application may fall for refusal. Where fraud or malpractice is suspected we have robust process in place with the supplier to take action where required.UK Visas and Immigration oversees the centres operating Secure English Language Testing (SELT). Integrity of centres is monitored and managed via a number of contractual and operational processes and measures including that all centres must be audited and where malpractice or concerns are suspected, UKVI personnel will conduct unannounced audits of centres and ask them to cease operation where needed.The use of proxies, and all other types of fraudulent activity, are assessed routinely by UK Visas and Immigration teams who ensure the integrity of these services. Where risks are identified swift action is taken including suspension of test centres pending investigation, results being withheld or cancelled and appropriate action against test takers.

How many and what proportion of (i) nurses (ii) doctors (iii) midwives entering the NHS were (a) non-UK citizens (b) non-UK graduates in each of the last five years.

The Department does not hold data on the number and proportion non-United Kingdom citizens entering the National Health Service. NHS England publishes monthly Hospital and Community Health Services (HCHS) workforce statistics for England which includes data on the self-reported nationality of NHS staff, which may not be the same as citizenship. Not all non-UK nationals will have been recruited from abroad, as some will already be resident in the UK before they join the NHS. This information is available at the following link, within the folder “Preliminary - NHS HCHS Workforce Statistics, Turnover – CSV data files”:https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/nhs-workforce-statisticsThe Department does not hold data on the number and proportion non-UK graduate doctors, nurses and midwives entering the NHS. The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) publishes data on non-UK graduate first-time joiners to their professional register across the UK. The General Medical Council (GMC) similarly publishes data on non-UK graduates taking up, or returning to, a license to practice medicine in the UK. It is possible to apply to join the UK Registers without moving to the UK. The most recent published NMC data is available at the following link: https://www.nmc.org.uk/about-us/reports-and-accounts/registration-statistics/ The most recent published GMC data can be found under the “Reference tables and data annex” section of the “The state of medical education and practice in the UK: workforce report 2025”, within the file titled “The register of medical practitioners”, available at the following link:https://www.gmc-uk.org/about/what-we-do-and-why/data-and-research/the-state-of-medical-education-and-practice-in-the-uk/workforce-report

To provide a breakdown in the total value of student loan repayments received by (i) non-UK nationals and (ii) UK nationals in each of the last five financial years.

The following table gives the Student Loan Company (SLC) payments in millions for the 2020/21 to 2024/25 financial years and covers Fee Loans and Maintenance Loans (full time and part time) for undergraduates only domiciled in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and the EU (Scotland's applications are not administered by SLC). These figures are split by the UK National indicator on the application form. Student support eligibility is determined by residency and not nationality and the UK National indicator field on the application form can be left blank by the applicant. Payments (£ million) Financial YearUK National indicatorNon-UK NationalUnknownGrand Total2020/2116,358.52,395.3341.819,095.72021/2216,832.22,798.7442.720,073.62022/2316,690.23,069.9551.720,311.82023/2416,534.03,360.9643.220,538.12024/2516,605.73,770.5706.221,082.4

How many police officers recruited since 2019 have required English language training after appointment.

Decisions about police recruitment, including how recruitment and selection processes are run, are a matter for Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners and are therefore managed locally by forces. This is done within a national application, assessment and selection framework, in line with national guidance maintained by the College of Policing. We expect all forces to uphold the highest standards in recruitment so that only those fit to serve as police officers are appointed.The Home Office does not collect data on the nationality of police officers, nor on police officers that have completed English language training. However, all candidates for appointment as a police officer must meet the standards set by the College of Policing.As set out in Regulations, police officers must demonstrate competence in written and spoken English. We are working closely with the College of Policing to ensure that forces continue to make improvements to all entry routes. As part of this work, the College of Policing is currently consulting police leaders to assess and determine the appropriate English language standard required for all policing roles.Forces are operationally independent, and decisions about training requirements and the deployment of officers remain an operational matter for Chief Constables.

What mechanisms are in place to ensure that police officers demonstrate fluent spoken and written English before being deployed in frontline roles.

Decisions about police recruitment, including how recruitment and selection processes are run, are a matter for Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners and are therefore managed locally by forces. This is done within a national application, assessment and selection framework, in line with national guidance maintained by the College of Policing. We expect all forces to uphold the highest standards in recruitment so that only those fit to serve as police officers are appointed.The Home Office does not collect data on the nationality of police officers, nor on police officers that have completed English language training. However, all candidates for appointment as a police officer must meet the standards set by the College of Policing.As set out in Regulations, police officers must demonstrate competence in written and spoken English. We are working closely with the College of Policing to ensure that forces continue to make improvements to all entry routes. As part of this work, the College of Policing is currently consulting police leaders to assess and determine the appropriate English language standard required for all policing roles.Forces are operationally independent, and decisions about training requirements and the deployment of officers remain an operational matter for Chief Constables.

How many serving police officers in England and Wales are foreign nationals, broken down by nationality.

Decisions about police recruitment, including how recruitment and selection processes are run, are a matter for Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners and are therefore managed locally by forces. This is done within a national application, assessment and selection framework, in line with national guidance maintained by the College of Policing. We expect all forces to uphold the highest standards in recruitment so that only those fit to serve as police officers are appointed.The Home Office does not collect data on the nationality of police officers, nor on police officers that have completed English language training. However, all candidates for appointment as a police officer must meet the standards set by the College of Policing.As set out in Regulations, police officers must demonstrate competence in written and spoken English. We are working closely with the College of Policing to ensure that forces continue to make improvements to all entry routes. As part of this work, the College of Policing is currently consulting police leaders to assess and determine the appropriate English language standard required for all policing roles.Forces are operationally independent, and decisions about training requirements and the deployment of officers remain an operational matter for Chief Constables.

How many foreign national officers have failed vetting or re-vetting procedures since 2015.

The Home Office does not centrally collect information on the number of police officers who fail vetting or re-vetting procedures. This information is held individually by each of the 43 territorial police forces.

What estimate she has made of the number of (a) police misconduct cases and (b) police misconduct cases involving non-UK national police officers since 2020.

The Home Office does not hold the requested information.The Home Office collects and publishes information on cases handled under the Police (Conduct) Regulations 2020 as a part of its published Police Misconduct: England and Wales statistical series:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-misconduct-statisticsThis includes information on the protected characteristics of those facing complaint, conduct matter and recordable conduct matter allegations. The Home Office does not collect information on the nationality of those who face allegations.

What guidance her Department provides to police forces on English language standards for police recruitment.

Decisions about police recruitment, including how recruitment and selection processes are run, are a matter for Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners and are therefore managed locally by forces. This is done within a national application, assessment and selection framework, in line with national guidance maintained by the College of Policing. We expect all forces to uphold the highest standards in recruitment so that only those fit to serve as police officers are appointed.The Home Office does not collect data on the nationality of police officers, nor on police officers that have completed English language training. However, all candidates for appointment as a police officer must meet the standards set by the College of Policing.As set out in Regulations, police officers must demonstrate competence in written and spoken English. We are working closely with the College of Policing to ensure that forces continue to make improvements to all entry routes. As part of this work, the College of Policing is currently consulting police leaders to assess and determine the appropriate English language standard required for all policing roles.Forces are operationally independent, and decisions about training requirements and the deployment of officers remain an operational matter for Chief Constables.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the proportion of police officers that are of foreign nationality or non-native English speakers on public confidence in police forces.

Decisions about police recruitment, including how recruitment and selection processes are run, are a matter for Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners and are therefore managed locally by forces. This is done within a national application, assessment and selection framework, in line with national guidance maintained by the College of Policing. We expect all forces to uphold the highest standards in recruitment so that only those fit to serve as police officers are appointed.The Home Office does not collect data on the nationality of police officers, nor on police officers that have completed English language training. However, all candidates for appointment as a police officer must meet the standards set by the College of Policing.As set out in Regulations, police officers must demonstrate competence in written and spoken English. We are working closely with the College of Policing to ensure that forces continue to make improvements to all entry routes. As part of this work, the College of Policing is currently consulting police leaders to assess and determine the appropriate English language standard required for all policing roles.Forces are operationally independent, and decisions about training requirements and the deployment of officers remain an operational matter for Chief Constables.

How many police officers have been subject to disciplinary action as a result of (a) poor communication and (b) language comprehension in the last five years.

The Home Office does not hold the requested information.The Home Office collects and publishes information on cases handled under the Police (Conduct) Regulations 2020 as a part of its published Police Misconduct: England and Wales statistical series:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-misconduct-statisticsThis includes information on the volume of complaints, internal conduct matters and recordable conduct matters which, if proven, could result in disciplinary action.Allegations are categorised using the Independent Office for Police Conduct’s (IOPC) allegation types, which includes a category of impolite language/tone. Data on the volume of allegations and action taken, by IOPC allegation type can be found in the misconduct allegations by type open data table, available from:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/police-misconduct-open-data-tablesThe Home Office does not currently collect information on cases that resulted in disciplinary action for unsatisfactory performance, handled under the Police (Performance) Regulations 2020.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a dedicated whistleblowing line for NHS staff and patients to report issues with language barriers in the National Health Service.

Speak Up Direct, funded by the Department, is a dedicated, independent helpline offering confidential advice, signposting, and guidance to National Health Service and social care staff on raising work-related concerns. Additional support includes Freedom to Speak Up Guardians, with over 1,300 now available across healthcare settings in England, and a Freedom to Speak Up policy that sets minimum standards for NHS organisations in England.The NHS complaints process enables patients to give feedback or raise concerns about any aspect of their care.Translation and interpretation services are available for patients who need language support. Additional support is available for individuals who may have difficulty understanding their care or communicating their needs. Patient advocates can speak on their behalf, facilitate decision-making, clarify care procedures, and help safeguard patient rights.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department has visibility over donations or grants from U.S. government agencies or foundations to (a) BBC Media Action and (b) the BBC World Service Trust since 2018.

The information requested is not held by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Whether (a) Section 232 tariffs, (b) digital tax negotiations and (c) IP reforms have been discussed with USA trade officials in the context of a future UK–USA trade agreement.

The UK has continued to engage across the range of issues outlined in the General Terms for the UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal agreed in May.We're continuing talks on a wider deal which will look at addressing specific tariff and non-tariff barriers, increasing digital and services trade, and unlocking new commercial opportunities that benefit both nations. We cannot comment on the specifics of live negotiations.Intensive discussions also continue on other sectors under Section 232 investigation towards the significantly preferential outcome provided for under the General Terms.