The British Transport Police (BTP) commenced a six-month pilot of Live Facial Recognition (LFR) at certain railway stations in February 2026. The purpose of every deployment is to identify and apprehend individuals wanted for serious crimes.

BTP have reported that to date (a) no offenders have been matched to watchlists, (b) one individual has been stopped by police but this was a false alert which was resolved quickly and (c) no individuals have been arrested specifically following use of facial recognition technology.

BTP have reported 13 arrests linked to the deployment of LFR so far during the pilot, and the locations see a reduced level of crime whilst LFR is in use.

The following railway stations have had LFR deployed:

The Home Office has recently announced that the procurement process for an FAE algorithm has concluded, and a new contract has been awarded to Akhter Computers Ltd, with Cognitec as sub-contractor. The awarded algorithm was trained on the supplier’s proprietary dataset consisting of millions of facial images collected over several decades, covering a broad range of ages, ethnicities, and genders.

Separately, the Home Office has used industry algorithms to test FAE performance against approximately 2.5 million operational images with a known age across different ethnicities, genders and age ranges, and showed, indicating promising performance and accuracy. Internal testing and trialling is ongoing using the newly procured algorithm. Demographic differentials and the public sector equality duty have been a crucial part of this testing and ongoing policy development.

Our published factsheet - Facial age estimation - GOV.UK- explains how the technology works, and how the Department is exploring its use.

I have asked Ofcom to rapidly assess what constitutes highly effective age assurance for establishing whether someone is over 16, prioritising data privacy and security, and considering how it can work for all users.

The ICO’s age-appropriate design code already requires online services to meet additional standards when processing children’s data, including on security, minimisation and sharing.

All individuals who enter the UK as part of the Medevac and Student processes will be subject to robust security checks and will be required to submit their biometrics ahead of travel. This is a vital way of protecting the UK public from individuals who pose any national security, criminality or safeguarding risks.

Where individuals are approved for travel from Gaza, the Government will work with the authorities of a third country to facilitate the enrolment of biometrics before onward travel to the UK. We may waive in-person biometric requirements only for individuals medically certified as too ill to enrol. All those accompanying such individuals must also provide their biometrics in person and present valid travel documentation for everyone.

We are not able to offer a running commentary on operational matters. HMG will work closely with authorities in a third country to ensure individuals undertake biometric checks before coming to the UK.

Supporting Medevac and Student departures is a coordinated effort across HMG. Departures from Gaza remain highly complex and dependent on factors outside the UK Government’s control. As such, travel and timelines cannot be guaranteed.

The Government’s preparations for digital ID will ensure that all existing routes for accessing public services will remain in place. The preparation for digital ID, which will make digital access to public services easier, as I described earlier, will be built with the highest trusted status and will be road-tested by the public as we prepare it, design it and then build it. Verification is vital if we are to ensure that the guiding principles of digital ID—being trusted, inclusive and of use from day one—are seen and not just told.

If I may, I will build on the question from the hon. Member for Bournemouth West (Jessica Toale). Many of my constituents have contacted me about the problems they have been having with digital verification on gov.uk websites, and especially with facial recognition. What routes do people have if they are unable to use digital verification to access services?

Throughout 2026, Facial Age Estimation technology will undergo rigorous testing and subject to further decision making, is expected to first be implemented in 2027 for small boat arrivals at Western Jet Foil, where quick decisions are critical.

Extensive testing has already been carried out across diverse groups, including different ethnicities, genders and age ranges, indicating promising performance and accuracy. Further testing is ongoing.

Equalities impacts are being considered through ongoing testing, independent analysis and policy development, in line with legal advice and public sector equality duty obligations.

The National Physical Laboratory (NPL), the UK’s National Metrology Institute (NMI) - world leading in establishing the most accurate metrology standards, science and technology, has been commissioned to carry out the independent review of testing and trial reports produced by the Home Office.

The Home Office has not issued advice to police forces on the activation of specific facial recognition functions within surveillance software.

The use of facial recognition technology by police forces is an operational matter for chief constables, who are responsible for deciding how and when to deploy capabilities in accordance with the law and relevant guidance.

Police use of facial recognition is governed by a legal framework which includes data protection, equality, human rights laws, national guidance issued by the College of Policing, a surveillance camera code of practice and forces’ own published policies. Their use of the technology must be for a policing purpose and be necessary, proportionate and fair.

The Police Reform Bill will introduce a new legal framework to underpin law enforcement use of biometrics, facial recognition and similar technologies, making it clear when use of these technologies can be justified, including creation of a single, expert body to provide independent advice and oversight.

In the meantime, there is an established legal basis for use of Live Facial Recognition Technology, which has been tested and confirmed by the Courts, and includes compliance with data protection, equality, and human rights laws. In addition, users of the technology must comply with College of Policing guidance and their own published policies. This means privacy rights are considered in relation to use of live facial recognition technology, which can only be used for a policing purpose, where necessary, proportionate, and fair.

For example, police can use live facial recognition only for targeted, intelligence led, time-bound deployments. During deployments, images of those passing the camera are compared only against a specific watchlist of individuals wanted by police or courts, and images of people who are not a match are immediately deleted.

To inform the new legal framework governing law enforcement use of facial recognition, biometrics and similar technologies, the Government launched a public consultation on 04/12/2025. The consultation explored when and how technologies like live facial recognition should be used and asked the public what factors are relevant to consider when assessing interference with privacy and other rights. The Government response to the consultation will be published in due course.

The Police Reform Bill will introduce a new legal framework to underpin law enforcement use of biometrics, facial recognition and similar technologies, making it clear when use of these technologies can be justified, including creation of a single, expert body to provide independent advice and oversight.

In the meantime, there is an established legal basis for use of Live Facial Recognition Technology, which has been tested and confirmed by the Courts, and includes compliance with data protection, equality, and human rights laws. In addition, users of the technology must comply with College of Policing guidance and their own published policies. This means privacy rights are considered in relation to use of live facial recognition technology, which can only be used for a policing purpose, where necessary, proportionate, and fair.

For example, police can use live facial recognition only for targeted, intelligence led, time-bound deployments. During deployments, images of those passing the camera are compared only against a specific watchlist of individuals wanted by police or courts, and images of people who are not a match are immediately deleted.

To inform the new legal framework governing law enforcement use of facial recognition, biometrics and similar technologies, the Government launched a public consultation on 04/12/2025. The consultation explored when and how technologies like live facial recognition should be used and asked the public what factors are relevant to consider when assessing interference with privacy and other rights. The Government response to the consultation will be published in due course.

The Government has not issued specific guidance on the ethical deployment of surveillance technologies, including facial recognition. However, when using these technologies, police forces must comply with data protection, equality, human rights and other relevant laws, meaning that all deployments must be for a policing purpose and be necessary, proportionate and fair.

For live facial recognition, forces must also comply with the Surveillance Camera Code of Practice, the College of Policing’s national guidance and their own published policies.

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 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.