Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, for what purposes (a) Ministers and (b) officials in her Department have used AI in the last 12 months.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is at the heart of the Government’s plan to kickstart an era of economic growth, transform how we deliver public services, and boost living standards for working people across the country.

To seize this opportunity, the Ministry of Justice has established a new Justice AI Unit, led by the Department’s first Chief AI Officer, to develop a comprehensive AI strategy for the Department and its agencies.

Officials are trialing the use of Microsoft 365 Copilot across 1,300 staff in the Department, specifically on its ability to reduce the time spent on repetitive tasks. In addition, we are exploring various pilots to support key functions, including frontline and operational staff.

We adhere to a safety-first policy and have co-developed an AI ethical framework and toolkit with the Alan Turing Institute. This resource is designed to assist stakeholders, developers, policymakers, and decision-makers in understanding the requirements for fostering responsible innovation in the use of AI within the criminal justice system.