THE Government has unveiled changes to the test taken by foreign nationals wanting to settle in East Anglia and become UK citizens.

The revised Life in the UK test, set to be introduced in March, will place greater focus on the “values and principles at the heart of being British”.

It will cover events and people “who have contributed to making Britain great” as well as a range of topics including sport, music and key historical facts.

Last year, a total of 8,686 Life in the UK tests were taken at seven centres in the East of England, including Ipswich and Norwich, and more than 150,000 were taken nationally.

Immigration minister Mark Harper said: “We have stripped out mundane information about water meters, how to find train tables, and using the internet.

“The new book rightly focuses on values and principles at the heart of being British. Instead of telling people how to claim benefits, it encourages participation in British life.

“This is just part of our work to help ensure migrants are ready and able to integrate into British society and forms part of our changes which have broken the automatic link between temporary and permanent migration.”

The new handbook, which goes on sale today, forms the basis of the 45-minute exam all aspiring British citizens must pass.

It means migrants have to show they have an understanding of how modern Britain has evolved with the likes of Aldeburgh composer Benjamin Britten, The Beatles, musical theatre composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, writers including William Shakespeare and Robert Burns, and politician Winston Churchill.

Sporting knowledge, including questions on the London 2012 Olympic Games, will also be included.

Mr Harper added: “We have made radical changes to the immigration system and are determined to reduce net migration from the hundreds of thousands into the tens of thousands by the end of the Parliament.”

Answers: 1(a); 2(d); 3(a)