The Home Office works closely with policing partners, including the National Police Chiefs' Council and the Office of the Police Chief Scientific Adviser, to support the development, testing and evaluation of technologies that can improve public and officer safety.

Through this work, the Department supports policing to assess emerging technologies, build the evidence base for their use and identify opportunities to learn from innovation and best practice, including developments in other countries where relevant. The Home Office also supports research, development and trialling activity in a range of areas aligned to policing operational needs.

Decisions on the operational use of technology are for chief constables, who are responsible for ensuring that any technology deployed by their force is lawful, proportionate and suitable for local policing requirements.

The Government does not determine which technology police forces procure or deploy. This is a matter for operationally independent Chief Constables, held accountable by directly elected Police and Crime Commissioners.

The Home Office does recognise the importance of better linking data across multiple systems and using technology to ensure improved operational outcomes. In the recent Government White Paper From Local to National: A New Model for Policing, published in January, we set out our ambitious plans for police reform. This includes launching a new National Data Integration and Exploitation Service and a new National Centre for AI in Policing (“PoliceAI”) which is investing £115 million over the next 3 years.

The Government has been working with the National Police Chiefs’ Council to produce a system which will provide forces with automated intelligence alerts from the Police National Database (PND) on individuals working in policing. The Home Office has provided £1.5m for a proof of concept and an additional approximately £2m towards development of a pilot for this work, known as ‘Continuous Integrity Screening’, which some forces are planning to run before the end of this year. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is also considering how it may apply AI and automation capability in its processes’

In addition, the Government provides ongoing funding to the National Police Wellbeing Service to provide support to forces and individuals, including a National Police Workforce and Wellbeing Survey. This provides evidence-based insights into wellbeing, helping forces identify patterns in welfare issues and broader organisational risks, benchmark against national findings, and inform targeted wellbeing interventions. On top of ongoing funding, the Government is providing additional funding of £2.4m this year to the National Police Wellbeing Service to increase support to forces as set out in the Police Reform White Paper, including measures to help monitor and prevent welfare issues.

The Government takes road safety seriously and recognises the important role that roads policing and speed enforcement play in reducing the number of people killed and seriously injured on our roads. Operational policing decisions, however, are taken locally by chief officers based on local needs and priorities.

The Home Office has not made an assessment of the effectiveness of average speed cameras in supporting the enforcement of speed limits in urban areas, nor has it had discussions with West Midlands Police regarding its approach to enforcement of speeding offences. Decisions on the deployment of speed cameras, including the type of camera used and where it is installed, the deployment of roads policing officers and the enforcement of speeding offences are operational matters for Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners. Speed enforcement forms part of wider operational road safety activity undertaken by police forces in response to local risks and priorities.

On 4 December last year, the Government launched a public consultation on when and how biometrics, facial recognition and similar technologies should be used, and what safeguards and oversight are needed. The consultation has now closed and a formal Government response will be published in due course, setting out the findings and next steps, including legislative measures.

The Police Reform Bill will introduce a new legal framework to underpin law enforcement use of these technologies, including the creation of a single expert body to provide independent advice and oversight.

Oversight of police use of facial recognition is currently provided by a number of bodies responsible for ensuring compliance with the law and safeguarding people’s rights. These include the Information Commissioner’s Office (data protection) and the Equality and Human Rights Commission (equalities and human rights), alongside His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, and the Biometrics and Surveillance Camera Commissioner.

The government does not direct what technology police forces can procure and deploy. This is a matter for operationally independent Chief Constables, accountable to locally elected Police and Crime Commissioners. However, the Home Office recognises the importance of being able to better link data across multiple systems and using cutting edge technology to improve operational outcomes. That’s why in the White Paper From Local to National: A New Model for Policing published in January this year we announced reforms to policing including launching a new National Data Integration and Exploitation Service, introducing a new National Centre for AI in Policing (“PoliceAI”) which is investing £115 million over the next 3 years. Police AI will provide a platform for identifying, testing and then scaling AI technology, as well as enabling Chief Constables to deploy AI responsibly and in a way which builds and maintains public consent.

Decisions on the procurement and adoption of new technologies, including artificial intelligence, are operational matters for Chief Constables, who are responsible for determining how best to equip their forces in line with local priorities and legal and ethical obligations.

The Home Office does not centrally hold or publish a comprehensive list of which individual forces have procured specific tools, and updates on adoption are similarly determined and held at force level. However, the Home Office remains closely engaged with all 43 police forces in England and Wales to support the responsible use of new technologies.

To support a consistent and coordinated approach across policing, the Government has established PoliceAI, the new National Centre for AI in Policing. As set out in the Police Reform White Paper, this is backed by £115 million of investment over the next three years and will support forces to safely test, procure and implement AI tools, while providing greater transparency through a public register of deployments.

New technologies, including artificial intelligence, will play an important role in supporting the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee by improving productivity and, over time, freeing up officers to focus on frontline duties.

The Government is investing in the rapid and responsible adoption of AI across policing, including over £115 million over the next three years. This will be delivered through PoliceAI, a new National Centre for AI in Policing, which will support forces to test, assure and scale AI tools, while providing transparency through a public register of systems in use. These tools are already helping to automate time‑intensive tasks such as analysis of CCTV and triage of 101 calls, enabling officers to spend more time in their communities. By 2028-29 we estimate AI adoption will free up 6 million hours of police time per year, equivalent to 3,000 extra officers.

Alongside this, we have also launched a Police Efficiency and Collaboration Programme to support policing to free up thousands of additional officer hours by the end of FY2028/29. As part of that we are investing in the Centre for Police Productivity within the College of Policing, to scale what works, spread innovation nationally, and ensure forces are delivering real, measurable productivity gains to achieve this target.

Technology is not a substitute for officers. Its primary role is to support policing by reducing administrative burdens and improving the efficiency and effectiveness of investigations. We want officer time spent solving crimes and protecting our communities.

The Home Office does not collect information on the nationality of companies supplying technology to UK police forces and law enforcement bodies. The procurement of technologies is a matter for individual organisations, having considered the legal, ethical and security requirements.

In doing so, procurement decisions by police forces and law enforcement bodies must comply with UK procurement law, including the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, Procurement Act 2023, and relevant National Cyber Security Centre guidance on supply chain risk. They are also expected to follow the Surveillance Camera Code of Practice issued under the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012. Additionally, the Live Facial Recognition Commercial Framework produced by BlueLight Commercial is available to support police forces making procurement decisions before they issue contracts.

To ensure national consistency and public confidence, the Police Reform White Paper set out our intention to have one national procurement system under the National Police Service.

The Home Office does not collect information on the nationality of companies supplying technology to UK police forces and law enforcement bodies. The procurement of technologies is a matter for individual organisations, having considered the legal, ethical and security requirements.

In doing so, procurement decisions by police forces and law enforcement bodies must comply with UK procurement law, including the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, Procurement Act 2023, and relevant National Cyber Security Centre guidance on supply chain risk. They are also expected to follow the Surveillance Camera Code of Practice issued under the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012. Additionally, the Live Facial Recognition Commercial Framework produced by BlueLight Commercial is available to support police forces making procurement decisions before they issue contracts.

To ensure national consistency and public confidence, the Police Reform White Paper set out our intention to have one national procurement system under the National Police Service.

Modernising policing to respond to increasingly digital and complex crime means equipping officers with the latest technology and access to accurate data. We are working with forces to understand barriers to technology adoption and we are providing support to raise capability across forces.

This is already underway through investment in the Office of the Police Chief Scientific Adviser, which leads science and innovation coordination as part of national efforts to improve police technology, and drives innovation through pilot schemes.

The Government is investing record levels to support the police rapidly but responsibly adopt AI, with £115m committed over the next three years including for a new national centre for AI in policing and expanded use of live facial recognition.

The Government has also committed to supporting police to develop new data integration solutions, clearer decision making for policing data and develop national standards, which should reduce some of the barriers to adoption of technology.

Modernising policing to respond to increasingly digital and complex crime means equipping officers with the latest technology and access to accurate data. We are working with forces to understand barriers to technology adoption and we are providing support to raise capability across forces.

This is already underway through investment in the Office of the Police Chief Scientific Adviser, which leads science and innovation coordination as part of national efforts to improve police technology, and drives innovation through pilot schemes.

The Government is investing record levels to support the police rapidly but responsibly adopt AI, with £115m committed over the next three years including for a new national centre for AI in policing and expanded use of live facial recognition.

The Government has also committed to supporting police to develop new data integration solutions, clearer decision making for policing data and develop national standards, which should reduce some of the barriers to adoption of technology.

The central aim of our police reforms is to protect and revitalise neighbourhood policing. We are lifting national responsibilities off local forces so they focus on tackling local issues, like fighting retail crime.

Through our Crime and Policing Act, this Government has introduced a new specific standalone offence of assaulting a retail worker to help tackle the epidemic of shop theft and violence towards shop workers that we have seen in recent years and protect the hardworking and dedicated staff that work in stores.

Additionally, we are removing the legislation which makes shop theft of and below £200 a summary-only offence, sending a clear message that any level of shop theft is illegal and will be taken seriously

We are providing £7 million over a three‑year period covering 2025 to 2028, to tackle retail crime, including continuing to fund a specialist policing team – in partnership with the retail sector - to better understand the tactics used by organised retail crime gangs and identify more offenders.

Technological solutions can play a valuable role in preventing and tackling crime. Following the successful roll out of ten new live facial recognition equipped vans last year the Police Reform White Paper announced further investment in facial recognition capabilities and the responsible adoption of these. This included over £11m on live facial recognition capabilities and national coordination of these. 40 new mobile units will be available to support the police in town centres and high crime hot spots across the country.

Retailers are already encouraged to share images of retail thefts captured on CCTV with the police. The police can then search the CCTV image against their database of images of people who have previously been arrested using retrospective facial recognition, as part of their investigations.

The Government recognises that public confidence in policing is fundamental to the effectiveness of the police and to the principle of policing by consent.

I met the Acting Chief Constable, Scott Green, for West Midlands Police on 21 January. I was assured that appropriate steps are being taken to rebuild trust and confidence in the force and its leadership team, including with local communities.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct has launched an investigation, using its power of initiative, into the role of West Midlands Police in the intelligence and decision‑making that led to the ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans.

Accountability for the performance of West Midlands Police rests primarily with the directly elected West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner, who is responsible for holding the Chief Constable to account on behalf of the public. The PCC has a range of statutory powers to scrutinise force performance and governance, and to ensure that public confidence is maintained.

From Local to National: A New Model for Policing” published on 26 January set out the Government’s proposals to reintroduce a power for the Home Secretary to remove a Chief Constable on performance grounds and reforming the appointment, suspension and dismissal of Chief Constables.

Through Home Office funding to the NPCC Artificial Intelligence (AI) portfolio, detailed guidance has been developed and published on the responsible use of AI in policing, including through the NPCC AI Playbook and the Covenant.

All Chief Constables have signed up to the Covenant, which establishes core principles for the transparent, responsible and accountable use of AI and generative technologies in UK policing. It also explicitly refers to the need for processes in place to ensure AI output is not accepted uncritically.

The Home Office does not hold data on technology-facilitated abuse incidents recorded by police forces in England and Wales.

The rapid development of technology has provided additional spaces for technology facilitated abuse and violence against women and girls (VAWG) to be perpetrated and has equipped perpetrators with new ways to harass, intimidate, stalk and coerce women and girls.

My officials are currently conducting a comprehensive review of the Home Office Type Approval (HOTA) standard in collaboration with stakeholders, including safety camera manufacturers and suppliers and technical experts from the scientific and standards communities.

The review of the standards will conclude as soon as practicable.

My officials are currently conducting a comprehensive review of the Home Office Type Approval (HOTA) standard in collaboration with stakeholders, including safety camera manufacturers and suppliers and technical experts from the scientific and standards communities.

The review of the standards will conclude as soon as practicable.

Estimates from the Crime Survey for England and Wales for the year ending March 2024 show that 58% of vehicle theft offences involved the offender manipulating the signal from remote locking device.

In the Crime and Policing Bill we are banning the electronic devices used to steal vehicles, empowering the police and courts to target the criminals using, manufacturing, importing and supplying them.

We are also working with the police and industry, to ensure a strong response to vehicle crime, including keyless car theft.

The National Vehicle Crime Reduction Partnership and the police-led National Vehicle Crime Working Group are focusing on prevention and deterrence of theft of, and from, vehicles. This includes training police officers on the methods used to steal vehicles, encouraging vehicle owners to secure their vehicles, and working with industry to address vulnerabilities in vehicles.

DfE continues to make available education and training opportunities in technical and engineering sectors across the country including in Fylde and Lancashire.

DfE’s levy-funded growth and skills offer, with apprenticeships at the heart, is aligned with the industrial strategy, creating routes into good, skilled jobs in growing industries such as in engineering and technical sectors.

DBT is working with DfE, following the announced additional £625 million for construction skills training, to support the industry led Construction Skills Mission Board to collaboratively secure the workforce needed to meet future demand and deliver the government’s infrastructure and built environment commitments.

The Faraday Battery Challenge funds battery related research, development of battery materials and technologies, and encourages investment into the UK’s world-class battery facilities.

An example of investment into UK facilities is the Advanced Materials Battery Industrialisation Centre (AMBIC), due to open in Q2 2025. AMBIC will provide innovation capability for the synthesis and processing of battery materials right through to the prototyping of commercially attractive batteries. The £12 million facility will bring together scalable and commercially relevant equipment into one entity to fast-track battery materials development.

Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) are a vital part of the UK defence supply base, contributing to growth through high-skilled jobs and dual use technology. We are supporting their competitiveness through investment from the National Security Strategic Investment Fund and by improving access to defence supply chains through a new SME hub, which will set direct SME spending targets for the Ministry of Defence by June this year. Our new UK Defence Innovation Organisation will further support defence SMEs to take state-of-the-art technology from the drawing board to the production line, and into the hands of our Armed Forces.