Home Office probes citizenship test firms after sex offender revelation
The Home Office has launched an urgent investigation into companies used to conduct citizenship tests for migrants after an i investigation revealed one firm involved employed a convicted sex offender to invigilate official English exams for the British Council.
Last week, i disclosed how Mobile Testing Solutions (MTS) had not performed a criminal record check on a man used to chaperone young teenagers taking the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exams managed by the British Council, a public body which receives funds from the Foreign Office.
The tests are taken by foreign teenagers looking to gain a place at a British university or school children who come to Britain after fleeing war zones such as Ukraine so schools can better understand the level of their English proficiency.
It emerged the invigilator hired by MTS had been convicted of serious sex offences in 2020 involving the possession and distribution of hundreds of horrific child abuse images, involving children as young as two. His interests, revealed at his trial, included âkids, rape, incestâ and the majority of his illegal material involved children aged 12 to 14.
Staff at MTS told i he sometimes chaperoned under-18s on test days. The role included registering teenagers for the tests, taking their photos and fingerprints, checking their photo ID, and sometimes chaperoning them.
MTS denied claims that this included taking candidates to the toilet and said the convicted sex offender was not left on his own with candidates. A spokesperson for the company said he âhad not committed any misconduct or crime while working for MTS, nor did any member of staff or test taker report any issues with his conduct during the time he worked for MTS.â
After approaching the British Council with the findings of iâs investigation, the cultural body âsuspended activitiesâ with MTS âas a matter of urgencyâ and announced it will be conducting its own investigation.
On its website MTS states that it conducts the Home Officeâs Life in the UK test which is necessary for anyone seeking British citizenship. In 2021 MTS announced that it was working with a separate global examinations company âto offer the computer-delivered Life in the UK test in four UK cities; Edinburgh, Cardiff, Brighton and Milton Keynesâ.
Although there is no evidence or suggestion that anybody hired by MTS to work on the citizenship exams has not undertaken full criminal record checks, i contacted the Home Office given the claims the company makes on its website.
The Home Office said in light of the allegations it will now undertake an urgent review of its âsupply chainâ.
MTS insiders told i last week they were horrified to discover how easy it was for the sex offender to be hired for a role that put him in contact with young teenagers.
When the company discovered his past crimes, he was suspended and subsequently fired âwhen he was unable to supply a clear DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) certificate,â a spokesperson for the company said. They added a criminal record check was not done on the sex offender because the job didnât involve contact with children.
Anyone working on the Life in the UK test for the Home Office, however, was subject to DBS checks before being employed, i understands.
MTS company procedures appear to have changed. An MTS spokesperson told i: âOur hiring protocols now include DBS checks for all test day staff, whether or not they come into contact with minors or vulnerable adults, in order to provide even better assurance of the safety, quality and integrity of the services we provideâ.
They added: âWe take all safeguarding and child protection issues very seriously.â