UK government invests £230 million in emergency services drones and AI
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announces a £230 million investment for integrating drones and AI technologies into the UK’s emergency services, aiming to enhance efficiency and reduce police response times. The budget also features a historic tax cut, alongside scrutiny of Wales’ Covid-19 response.
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has announced a forward-looking £230 million investment plan aimed at transforming the UK’s emergency services by integrating drones as initial responders to incidents. Revealed in the recent Budget, this initiative seeks to improve the efficiency of public services by drastically trimming police response times and diminishing the administrative burden on officers. This strategy could equate to freeing up the workload of approximately 20,000 officers annually. Part of this modernisation includes the prospect for victims to report crimes through video calls and the deployment of drones for rapid surveillance and pursuit of suspects at crime scenes. The funding will also cover the advancement of AI technologies, such as facial recognition, within the comprehensive budget allocation.
Furthermore, the Budget introduced a 2p reduction in national insurance for both employed and self-employed individuals. This tax cut represents the lowest personal tax rate the UK has seen since 1975, ultimately aiming to provide monetary relief to the workforce while enhancing emergency service responses through technological innovation.
Separately, the UK Covid-19 Inquiry has scrutinized the Welsh Government’s response to the pandemic, particularly spotlighting concerns over the delay in recognizing the severity of the unfolding crisis. Dr. Quentin Sandifer, the medical director at Public Health Wales, expressed his astonishment over the initial treatment of the pandemic as merely a health-led incident well into March 2020, despite the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) declaration of a public health emergency of international concern in late January. The inquiry further unearthed hesitations within the Welsh Government regarding the declaration of a major incident, amidst fears of national politics impeding public health safety. Dr. Sandifer’s testimony emphasizes the critical need for prompt and coordinated governmental action in crisis situations, as the inquiry continues to delve into decision-making processes at the pandemic’s onset in Wales.