Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance her Department has issued to local authorities on securing public spaces from unauthorised drone activity; and whether her Department provides funding to local authorities for local counter-drone measures at high-risk public sites.

The Home Office oversees the UK government’s approach to countering the misuse of drones.

The needs and requirements of each local authority to prepare for and respond to unauthorised drone activity will vary. In order to manage their risks, local authorities should work with their local police, for example through their Local Resilience Forum, to agree their approach.

The Home Office provides cross-government coordination on counter-drone policy, and has supported the National Police Chiefs’ Council counter-drones team to develop local police capabilities. Police forces across the UK have been issued with equipment, guidance and training to prepare for and respond to drone misuse, and are responsible for their ongoing local risk assessments.

Guidance on the wider topic of drone awareness and security has been issued by the National Protective Security Authority (NPSA), focused on infrastructure but applicable to public spaces: Counter Uncrewed Aerial Systems (C-UAS) | Uncrewed Aerial Systems | NPSA. More broadly, guidance has also been provided following the passing of Martyn’s Law which outlines local authorities’ responsibilities to ensure public safety and security.