The UK Government has introduced a significant push to speed up the adoption of rising applied sciences throughout public providers, with a brand new £8.9 million fund aimed toward chopping regulatory pink tape and fast-tracking innovation.
Through the Regulatory Innovation Office (RIO), 16 initiatives will obtain assist to streamline outdated guidelines and pace up the secure deployment of applied sciences starting from AI in healthcare to drones delivering medicines in distant components of the UK.
Projects backed on this funding spherical embody AI instruments for the London Fire Brigade to evaluate constructing fireplace dangers by way of smartphone, street-sweeping robots in Milton Keynes, and flood threat modelling AI for Northumberland County Council. The Medicines and Healthcare merchandise Regulatory Agency (MHRA) will obtain funding to trial AI assistants that might assist assess scientific trials extra effectively, whereas Argyll and Bute Council will pilot new drone requirements to ship medicines throughout the Scottish islands.
Cutting Red Tape to Speed Up Public Service Innovation
Science and Technology Secretary Liz Kendall mentioned the reforms had been about aligning regulation with the tempo of technological change.
“Every day across the country, new products are being invented that have the potential to transform lives and revolutionise public services,” she mentioned. “But all too usually, we’re held again by pink tape that merely hasn’t saved tempo with scientific and technological advances.
“That’s why we’re backing our regulators to work together with industry, to make the rules fit for purpose and unlock breakthroughs that will deliver national renewal by driving our economy forwards—faster, easier, and safely.”
The RIO, chaired by Lord Willetts, was established to scale back regulatory boundaries for progressive companies in high-growth sectors equivalent to engineering biology, house, AI, and digital well being – areas anticipated to be price billions to the UK financial system.
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Since its creation final yr, the RIO has supported reforms which have already enabled innovation in vital infrastructure and well being providers. For instance, regulatory flexibility helped one agency safe a £23 million contract with National Grid to examine energy strains utilizing drones, a functionality that might beforehand have confronted prohibitive delays.
The RIO’s One Year On report, revealed this week, highlights how streamlined threat assessments for drone operations have accelerated initiatives in a sector forecast to be price £45 billion by 2030. It additionally cites new regulatory work supporting the UK’s house trade, together with missions centered on satellite tv for pc life-extension and particles removing, doubtlessly unlocking a £2.7 billion market by 2031.
Strengthening the UK’s Regulatory Landscape
Lord Willetts mentioned the RIO’s collaborative mannequin was key to driving the Government’s digital innovation ambitions.
“The UK’s future prosperity depends on harnessing innovation,” he mentioned. “The Regulators’ Pioneer Fund is a powerful catalyst, enabling our regulators to work with industry and researchers to bring high-potential technologies to market more swiftly and safely.”
The Regulators’ Pioneer Fund, now in its fourth spherical, helps regulators to check extra versatile, environment friendly approaches that permit innovators to carry services and products to market sooner. Previous rounds backed initiatives in well being, transport, and power.
The RIO can also be increasing its partnerships with CBI, TechUK, and the Start Up Coalition to offer companies clearer routes to lift regulatory challenges. A collaboration with IBM will see an AI ‘hackathon’ launched in Spring 2026, centered on sensible purposes of rising applied sciences in public service supply.