To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, at which railway stations live facial recognition technology has been deployed in each of the last five years; on what dates it was deployed at each station; for what purpose; and how many individuals were (a) matched to watchlists, (b) stopped by...

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, at which railway stations live facial recognition technology has been deployed in each of the last five years; on what dates it was deployed at each station; for what purpose; and how many individuals were (a) matched to watchlists, (b) stopped by...

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the use of live facial recognition systems by retailers to identify suspected offenders and alert the police.

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the use of live facial recognition systems by retailers to identify suspected offenders and alert the police.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to question 10230 answered on 16 June 2026, whether the a) equalities impacts assessments and b) outcomes resulting from the National Physical Laboratory review of Home Office Facial Age Estimation testing will be published upon completion.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to question 10230 answered on 16 June 2026, whether the a) equalities impacts assessments and b) outcomes resulting from the National Physical Laboratory review of Home Office Facial Age Estimation testing will be published upon completion.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what is the AI model that will conduct AI facial age assessments on children at the border; and what assessment she has made of the risk of error and bias in AI facial age assessment technology to conduct age assessments...

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what is the AI model that will conduct AI facial age assessments on children at the border; and what assessment she has made of the risk of error and bias in AI facial age assessment technology to conduct age assessments...

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services on plans to consider facial recognition as an assessment criteria for the PEEL legitimacy inspections.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services on plans to consider facial recognition as an assessment criteria for the PEEL legitimacy inspections.

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the potential risks of age verification methods involving facial or biometric data to enforce a social media ban for under-16s.

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the potential risks of age verification methods involving facial or biometric data to enforce a social media ban for under-16s.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how her department plans to facilitate biometrics checks in Gaza following the statement by the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs to the House on 24th June 2026 regarding the resumption of medical evacuations and student pathways.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how her department plans to facilitate biometrics checks in Gaza following the statement by the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs to the House on 24th June 2026 regarding the resumption of medical evacuations and student pathways.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what independent oversight body currently has responsibility for monitoring the Metropolitan Police's use of live facial recognition technology; and whether that body has the powers to require the force to pause its planned rollout.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what independent oversight body currently has responsibility for monitoring the Metropolitan Police's use of live facial recognition technology; and whether that body has the powers to require the force to pause its planned rollout.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Government will require the Metropolitan Police to pause its expansion of live facial recognition technology until the dedicated legal framework has been passed and scrutinised by Parliament.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Government will require the Metropolitan Police to pause its expansion of live facial recognition technology until the dedicated legal framework has been passed and scrutinised by Parliament.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what clear and consistent rules she intends to include in the dedicated legal framework for facial recognition technology to ensure the rights of the public are protected at all times; and when that framework will be brought before Parliament.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what clear and consistent rules she intends to include in the dedicated legal framework for facial recognition technology to ensure the rights of the public are protected at all times; and when that framework will be brought before Parliament.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to publish the findings of the public consultation on police use of live facial recognition technology; and whether Parliament will have an opportunity to scrutinise those findings before the Metropolitan Police proceeds with its planned rollout to...

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to publish the findings of the public consultation on police use of live facial recognition technology; and whether Parliament will have an opportunity to scrutinise those findings before the Metropolitan Police proceeds with its planned rollout to...

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to publish (1) the internal Home Office report on the performance of facial age-estimation technology, (2) an equality impact assessment, and (3) a Child Rights Impact Assessment, before facial age-estimation technology is used to perform initial age assessments in a live decision-making...

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to publish (1) the internal Home Office report on the performance of facial age-estimation technology, (2) an equality impact assessment, and (3) a Child Rights Impact Assessment, before facial age-estimation technology is used to perform initial age assessments in a live decision-making...

The current legal architecture allows effective use of these technologies, but the Government continue to keep legislation under regular review as threats evolve. The Government are investing a record £141 million in AI technology and automation, including over £11 million on 40 new live facial recognition units. The police reform Bill will complement this by introducing clearer rules and independent oversight for facial recognition, ensuring that its use remains lawful, proportionate and responsible.

The current legal architecture allows effective use of these technologies, but the Government continue to keep legislation under regular review as threats evolve. The Government are investing a record £141 million in AI technology and automation, including over £11 million on 40 new live facial recognition units. The police reform Bill will complement this by introducing clearer rules and independent oversight for facial recognition, ensuring that its use remains lawful, proportionate and responsible.

I thank my noble friend for his Answer. The Home Office consultation was a welcome recognition of the gaps in the current statutory framework in this area. I welcome the notion that there will be a development of legislation, particularly the police reform Bill, which covers these important technologies. On the proposed legislation, will there be support for behavioural analytics in relation to counterterrorism? I ask because that is a very important tool.

I thank my noble friend for his Answer. The Home Office consultation was a welcome recognition of the gaps in the current statutory framework in this area. I welcome the notion that there will be a development of legislation, particularly the police reform Bill, which covers these important technologies. On the proposed legislation, will there be support for behavioural analytics in relation to counterterrorism? I ask because that is a very important tool.

I am grateful to my noble and learned friend for his question. What we are trying to do in the police reform Bill is respond to the consultation he has mentioned, which closed a few weeks back. We are currently analysing the responses to that consultation, and the intention is to put in place a legal framework that covers all aspects of facial recognition technology, so that there is proper governance, proper accountability, and a clear understanding of what, where and how facial recognition technology can be used. I will ensure that when the Bill is brought forward, my noble and learned friend has an opportunity to reflect on the points that he has made today.

I am grateful to my noble and learned friend for his question. What we are trying to do in the police reform Bill is respond to the consultation he has mentioned, which closed a few weeks back. We are currently analysing the responses to that consultation, and the intention is to put in place a legal framework that covers all aspects of facial recognition technology, so that there is proper governance, proper accountability, and a clear understanding of what, where and how facial recognition technology can be used. I will ensure that when the Bill is brought forward, my noble and learned friend has an opportunity to reflect on the points that he has made today.

My Lords, while I welcome the Government’s approach to this, with the postponement of the EU-UK summit, which was to discuss security issues, from 22 July to another date, I am all the more concerned that the re-establishment of our links to SIS II, the information system which gives real-time information on movements of terrorists around Europe, will now be put off as well. I wonder whether the Minister will update us on what we are doing to try to get ourselves back into what is undoubtedly the best means of dealing with terrorists.

My Lords, while I welcome the Government’s approach to this, with the postponement of the EU-UK summit, which was to discuss security issues, from 22 July to another date, I am all the more concerned that the re-establishment of our links to SIS II, the information system which gives real-time information on movements of terrorists around Europe, will now be put off as well. I wonder whether the Minister will update us on what we are doing to try to get ourselves back into what is undoubtedly the best means of dealing with terrorists.

The noble Lord knows my clear view on this matter: we have to have a very constructive relationship with Europe; the things that we lost due to the Brexit withdrawal need to be examined

in detail on the criminal justice front; it is in Europe’s and United Kingdom’s interests to have better access and understanding of who goes where, when and why; and it is the objective of the Government to try to help the European Union and to receive benefits. The summit that was planned for July has been postponed for reasons that are self-evident—because of a change of Prime Minister—but the objective of the Government remains the same.

The noble Lord knows my clear view on this matter: we have to have a very constructive relationship with Europe; the things that we lost due to the Brexit withdrawal need to be examined

in detail on the criminal justice front; it is in Europe’s and United Kingdom’s interests to have better access and understanding of who goes where, when and why; and it is the objective of the Government to try to help the European Union and to receive benefits. The summit that was planned for July has been postponed for reasons that are self-evident—because of a change of Prime Minister—but the objective of the Government remains the same.

My Lords, artificial intelligence chatbots are already engaged in skilfully targeted radicalisation. They may even be used in attack planning, as in the case of the Windsor Castle crossbow attacker, who was thwarted, fortunately, in his ambition to kill Her late Majesty but was assisted and encouraged throughout by his online “girlfriend”, Sarai. The Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation has suggested that we may need laws against the creation and deployment of computer programs that can be used for such malign purposes. Could the Minister update us as to what the Government are going to do about it?

My Lords, artificial intelligence chatbots are already engaged in skilfully targeted radicalisation. They may even be used in attack planning, as in the case of the Windsor Castle crossbow attacker, who was thwarted, fortunately, in his ambition to kill Her late Majesty but was assisted and encouraged throughout by his online “girlfriend”, Sarai. The Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation has suggested that we may need laws against the creation and deployment of computer programs that can be used for such malign purposes. Could the Minister update us as to what the Government are going to do about it?

I am grateful as always for the expertise that the noble Lord brings to this issue. The independent reviewer did indeed consider, in his annual report, the impact of generative AI on terrorism-related activity. The report concluded that, where AI is intended to be used for terrorist purposes, existing terrorism legislation generally provides sufficient coverage. Nevertheless, we are continuing to look at that. It is an important issue. As the noble Lord knows from our long discussions in the last few days, we have a security Bill and a police reform Bill coming up. We keep those matters under review and, obviously, it is a very fast-moving situation. We need to be ahead of the game for the reasons the noble Lord has mentioned.

I am grateful as always for the expertise that the noble Lord brings to this issue. The independent reviewer did indeed consider, in his annual report, the impact of generative AI on terrorism-related activity. The report concluded that, where AI is intended to be used for terrorist purposes, existing terrorism legislation generally provides sufficient coverage. Nevertheless, we are continuing to look at that. It is an important issue. As the noble Lord knows from our long discussions in the last few days, we have a security Bill and a police reform Bill coming up. We keep those matters under review and, obviously, it is a very fast-moving situation. We need to be ahead of the game for the reasons the noble Lord has mentioned.