English Language: Assessments
Commons · Question 100142 · Tabled 15 Dec 2025 · Department for Education · Official record
Answered 7 Jan 2026
Question
Asked by Andrew Snowden
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what safeguards are now in place to prevent malpractice in English language proficiency tests used for university entrance, following the issues identified by Ofqual with Pearson’s PTE Academic Online test.
Answer
Answered by Josh MacAlister, 7 Jan 2026
Universities are autonomous bodies, independent from government, and responsible for their own admissions decisions. Where English is not an applicant's first language, it is right that a provider assures themselves that the applicant has a reasonable lik...