Fluent English skill to be made a legal requirement for all public sector workers in Britain

Britain's government is to introduce a law making it a legal requirement for the first time for every public sector worker in a public-facing role to speak English fluently, the Cabinet Office announced Sunday.

Cabinet Minister Matt Hancock said legislation is to be introduced as early as next month to pave the way for the new law.

The Cabinet Office said it will mean all public sector organisations must ensure staff can communicate effectively with the public, at what will be equivalent to a language skill good enough to pass a high-level high college exam.

A spokesman for the Cabinet Office said Sunday: "This requirement would increase depending on the nature of the role and profession. Doctors, for example, are already required to have a much higher level of English.

"Organisations including the National Health Service (NHS), armed forces and state-funded schools will all be bound by a new code of practice which will be produced following a consultation in the autumn. The legislation and code of practice will apply to both existing and new employees working in public-facing roles."

Hancock said: "We are controlling immigration for the benefit of all hard-working people. That includes making sure that foreign nationals employed in customer-facing public sector roles are able to speak English of a high standard.

"We have already introduced tough new language requirements for migrants, now we will introduce new legislation in the forthcoming Immigration Bill to deliver the commitment made by Prime Minister David Cameron to go further."

The government has already legislated to allow some health regulators to ask for evidence of English language competence from applicants trained in European Union countries who apply for registration with them, to work as healthcare professionals in Britain.

The new primary legislation will be used to extend the same level of language control to every public sector worker in a customer facing role. It will include police officers, social workers, teaching staff and assistants, Jobcentre Plus workers and local government employees.

Added Minister Hancock: "This will be the first time there has been a co-ordinated approach to enforcing fluent English across the public sector and will create a consistent experience for taxpayers, while promoting integration and British values in the United Kingdom." Endit