Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals relating to police use of (a) AI and (b) machine learning technology.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
It is for operationally independent Chief Constables to decide when and how they deploy AI systems. They are accountable to elected Police and Crime Commissioners.
AI deployment must be lawful, transparent, ethical and underpinned by robust data and governance arrangements. These principles are set out in the ‘Covenant for Using AI in Policing’ which all Chief Constables have signed. The Home Office is working closely with the AI portfolio of the National Police Chief’s Council and the Police Chief Scientific Advisor to ensure policing has the resources and support it needs to abide by these principles consistently. This includes working with a range of academics from leading universities on a ‘responsible AI checklist’ and producing a detailed ‘AI playbook for policing’, akin to those produced for other government departments.
AI-enabled technologies like facial recognition are valuable tools in modern policing, helping the police to quickly identify suspects and keep our communities safe. While existing laws provide a framework for its use, we recognise the need for clarity and are engaging closely with stakeholders to ensure facial recognition operates on a firm legal footing. We will set out our plans in the coming months alongside a broader package of reforms in our forthcoming White Paper on policing.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what (a) safeguards and (b) oversight her Department has in place to monitor the deployment of AI systems by police forces.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
It is for operationally independent Chief Constables to decide when and how they deploy AI systems. They are accountable to elected Police and Crime Commissioners.
AI deployment must be lawful, transparent, ethical and underpinned by robust data and governance arrangements. These principles are set out in the ‘Covenant for Using AI in Policing’ which all Chief Constables have signed. The Home Office is working closely with the AI portfolio of the National Police Chief’s Council and the Police Chief Scientific Advisor to ensure policing has the resources and support it needs to abide by these principles consistently. This includes working with a range of academics from leading universities on a ‘responsible AI checklist’ and producing a detailed ‘AI playbook for policing’, akin to those produced for other government departments.
AI-enabled technologies like facial recognition are valuable tools in modern policing, helping the police to quickly identify suspects and keep our communities safe. While existing laws provide a framework for its use, we recognise the need for clarity and are engaging closely with stakeholders to ensure facial recognition operates on a firm legal footing. We will set out our plans in the coming months alongside a broader package of reforms in our forthcoming White Paper on policing.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions her Department has had with Palantir on the use of its technology by law enforcement.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
It is for operationally independent Chief Constables to decide when and how they deploy AI systems. They are accountable to elected Police and Crime Commissioners.
AI deployment must be lawful, transparent, ethical and underpinned by robust data and governance arrangements. These principles are set out in the ‘Covenant for Using AI in Policing’ which all Chief Constables have signed. The Home Office is working closely with the AI portfolio of the National Police Chief’s Council and the Police Chief Scientific Advisor to ensure policing has the resources and support it needs to abide by these principles consistently. This includes working with a range of academics from leading universities on a ‘responsible AI checklist’ and producing a detailed ‘AI playbook for policing’, akin to those produced for other government departments.
AI-enabled technologies like facial recognition are valuable tools in modern policing, helping the police to quickly identify suspects and keep our communities safe. While existing laws provide a framework for its use, we recognise the need for clarity and are engaging closely with stakeholders to ensure facial recognition operates on a firm legal footing. We will set out our plans in the coming months alongside a broader package of reforms in our forthcoming White Paper on policing.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the deployment of AI systems will be decided by individual police forces.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
It is for operationally independent Chief Constables to decide when and how they deploy AI systems. They are accountable to elected Police and Crime Commissioners.
AI deployment must be lawful, transparent, ethical and underpinned by robust data and governance arrangements. These principles are set out in the ‘Covenant for Using AI in Policing’ which all Chief Constables have signed. The Home Office is working closely with the AI portfolio of the National Police Chief’s Council and the Police Chief Scientific Advisor to ensure policing has the resources and support it needs to abide by these principles consistently. This includes working with a range of academics from leading universities on a ‘responsible AI checklist’ and producing a detailed ‘AI playbook for policing’, akin to those produced for other government departments.
AI-enabled technologies like facial recognition are valuable tools in modern policing, helping the police to quickly identify suspects and keep our communities safe. While existing laws provide a framework for its use, we recognise the need for clarity and are engaging closely with stakeholders to ensure facial recognition operates on a firm legal footing. We will set out our plans in the coming months alongside a broader package of reforms in our forthcoming White Paper on policing.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether Bedfordshire Police consulted her Department on appointing Palantir for a pilot scheme trialling AI technology.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government is committed to ensuring that law enforcement has the resources it needs to tackle crime effectively. AI presents an opportunity to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of policing and law enforcement – from automating back-office tasks freeing up time for officers to be on the front line and live language translation enabling better interactions with those unable to speak English, through to applications like facial recognition and CCTV analysis, helping police to catch more criminals and speed up investigations to bring offenders to justice.
Bedfordshire Police consulted the Home Office on appointing Palantir for a pilot scheme trialling AI technology, and this was agreed. While it remains the responsibility of individual police forces to comply with the ‘Covenant for Using AI in Policing’, the Home Office received assurances that Bedfordshire Police are meeting these requirements.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to publish a formal follow-up to the Baroness Casey Review into policing; and what mechanisms are currently in place to (a) track and (b) publicly report on progress against its recommendations.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Baroness Casey Review, commissioned by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to independently review its culture and standards, made a series of important and concerning findings. Any subsequent follow-up is a matter for the MPS, in conjunction with the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC)
The Government has committed to improving police accountability, with new regulations on the dismissal of police officers who fail vetting laid last month. In addition, further regulations to strengthen the misconduct and performance systems are due to come into force later this month
It is the responsibility of His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) to assess the operational performance of police forces in England and Wales. The performance of the MPS is assessed by HMICFRS, which last published a Police Effectiveness Efficiency and Legitimacy inspection (PEEL) report for the MPS in August 2024.
HMICFRS released the MPS from its enhanced monitoring process known as ‘Engage’ in January 2025 after making improvements against recommendations set by the Inspectorate. The force has now returned to the routine stage of HMICFRS’ continuous monitoring process. The next PEEL report for the MPS is expected to be published during the next inspection cycle (2025-2027).
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to conduct a Child Rights Impact Assessment before the potential authorisation of Taser 10 for use by police forces in England and Wales.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
Government decisions on whether to approve Taser for police use are informed by robust, independent technical and medical testing and assessments alongside an equality impact assessment which sets out any implications for those with protected characteristics, including age.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether a child's rights impact assessment has been prepared for the Crime and Policing Bill.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
A number of economic impact assessments, economic notes and equality impact assessments covering measures in the Crime and Policing Bill have been published, and can be found here: https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3938/publications.
The Government has also published a human rights memorandum covering the measures in the Bill.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has sought legal advice on the compatibility of the use of (a) predictive policing and (b) risk prediction systems by police forces with (i) national and (ii) international human rights obligations.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
AI, and other technologies, can provide a wide range of benefits to improve efficiency and productivity in policing, as well as boosting public confidence by improving the prevention, detection and investigation of crime. However, the procurement and deployment of AI technology to assist with forecasting potential areas of crime or disorder, commonly known as ‘predictive policing’, must always be subject to strong safeguards.
The AI Covenant for Policing was agreed at National Police Chiefs Council in September 2023. This provides practical high-level principles that, if followed, will ensure that the police develop and use AI tools that are lawful, transparent, explainable, responsible, accountable and robust. The Home Office has provided funding to support the National Police Chiefs Council AI Portfolio to drive consistency and create guidance for forces to develop and deploy AI tools, and we are undertaking further detailed work in this area. There are a number of essential wider protections in place, including the Public Sector Equality Duty, to ensure that all Government policies take account of the human rights impacts on individuals.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to monitor the compliance of use of predictive policing and risk prediction sytems by police forces with the UK's national and international human rights obligations.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
AI, and other technologies, can provide a wide range of benefits to improve efficiency and productivity in policing, as well as boosting public confidence by improving the prevention, detection and investigation of crime. However, the procurement and deployment of AI technology to assist with forecasting potential areas of crime or disorder, commonly known as ‘predictive policing’, must always be subject to strong safeguards.
The AI Covenant for Policing was agreed at National Police Chiefs Council in September 2023. This provides practical high-level principles that, if followed, will ensure that the police develop and use AI tools that are lawful, transparent, explainable, responsible, accountable and robust. The Home Office has provided funding to support the National Police Chiefs Council AI Portfolio to drive consistency and create guidance for forces to develop and deploy AI tools, and we are undertaking further detailed work in this area. There are a number of essential wider protections in place, including the Public Sector Equality Duty, to ensure that all Government policies take account of the human rights impacts on individuals.