Immigrants who want to become British citizens will have to reach a minimum standard in English language, the government announced today.
People who take part in the Government's new citizenship ceremonies - introduced last year - will have to attain stage three of an internationally-recognised scale.
British Home Secretary Mr David Blunkett
Applicants will have to read and write to a certain standard, and also speak and understand English in a variety of formal and informal situations.
Home Secretary Mr David Blunkett has expressed his desire to increase a sense of identity for people taking British nationality and further announcements will be made regarding his planned "Britishness test" in the autumn.
People who take these citizenship classes may not be required to reach the same level of proficiency in English, a Home Office spokeswoman said.
The requirement will come into force in 21 days and people who can afford language lessons will be expected to pay for their classes, although a number of free English courses already exist, she added.
The announcement came as Mr Blunkett said he would launch a renewed attempt to make inciting religious hatred a criminal offence.
The new offence is likely to be closely modelled on the existing crime of inciting racial hatred which carries a maximum penalty of seven years' imprisonment.
Making it a crime to incite religious hatred could help protect minority religions from attack by right-wing groups, Mr Blunkett said. But it could also be deployed against fundamentalist Islamists, as well as other extremists, who preach against Christian society.
The government first tried to bring in the offence in 2001 as part of a package of emergency measures in the weeks following the September 11 terrorist attacks. But it was dropped in the face of strong opposition in the House of Lords.
Incitement to racial hatred is already an offence under the Public Order Act 1986, defined as using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour with intent or likelihood to stir up racial hatred. The maximum penalty was raised from two to seven years in the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001.
PA