Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department uses AI to help verify the age of migrants that arrive in the UK.

The Home Office has recently announced that the procurement process for a Facial Age Estimation (FAE) algorithm has concluded, and a new contract has been awarded to Akhter Computers Ltd, with Cognitec as sub-contractor.  Our current intention is to begin using the technology, which harnesses the power of AI, during initial age decisions at the border, and to provide capabilities to the National Age Assessment Board and Local Authorities to access FAE results.

The Department is planning a series of trials and testing throughout 2026. Subject to the results of the testing, FAE is planned to be implemented from 2027.