Tag: 2026

PRESS RELEASE : Prisoners turn new page with launch of Reading Laureate [January 2026]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 27 January 2026.
- Author Lee Child announced as first ever Prison Reading Laureate
- Role will boost prisoner’ literacy skills to help reduce reoffending
- Initiative part of National Year of Reading 2026, part of Plan for Change
Prisoners are being given the chance to start a new chapter away from crime with the launch of the first ever Prison Reading Laureate.

Author Lee Child best known for the Jack Reacher book series will be the inaugural holder of the role, created to champion the importance of literacy skills in helping prevent prisoners from reoffending.

It comes as data shows more than two-thirds of prisoners enter prison with reading levels below GCSE standard – many at primary school level. This can create major barriers to living crime-free lives, such as being unable to secure a job on release.

The creation of the laureate builds on Government action to ensure prisons deliver punishment that cuts crime and produce better citizens, and not criminals – helping to make our streets safer.

Prisons Minister, Lord Timpson, said:

We know the crucial role education, including learning key skills like reading, can play in helping offenders turn their lives around.

I would like to thank Lee Child for the inspiring work he continues to do in our prisons. The Prison Reading Laureate will be a powerful influence, boosting our efforts to break the cycle of reoffending and create safer streets.

Author Lee Child said:

This isn’t about being soft on crime, it’s about being smart. Improving literacy is an evidence-based, practical approach that works. When people leave prison better equipped to read and learn, they’re less likely to reoffend. That makes communities safer for everyone.

Today’s announcement forms part of the National Year of Reading, a UK-wide campaign Department of Education and the National Literacy Trust to help millions of families, children and communities benefit from the power of reading.

Each year the chosen laureate will bring their own passion and experience to the role, with the freedom to promote specific areas such as supporting children of prisoners, creative writing, or post-release employment in publishing.

Mr Child will initially focus on the expansion of his successful literacy pilot programme which has been running in a number of prisons since 2025 in partnership with MP Paul Davies. It will include bringing in more authors to work with prisons across the country and promoting the benefits of reading to rehabilitation.

Background

Key delivery partners for prison literacy include:
- Shannon Trust: Expanding peer-to-peer reading support in prisons using the Turning Pages programme
- National Literacy Trust: Running monthly workshops including reading groups, creative writing sessions, spoken word and storytelling workshops for children
- Bang-Up Books: Has distributed over 150,000 books to more than 100 prisons
- Prison Reading Groups: Delivering monthly book groups, family reading days and creative reading projects across approximately 80 prisons. Throughout the year they will continue their work with ongoing opportunities to read regularly together and improve access to free books
- Storybook Mums and Dads: Enabling imprisoned parents to record audio and video of themselves reading stories for their children
- The Reading Agency’s Quick Reads books will be used throughout the year, making great stories genuinely accessible to every reader and celebrating exciting campaign moments like World Book Night.
30/01/2026
PRESS RELEASE : Major milestone for HS2 as tunnelling to Euston starts [January 2026]
The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 27 January 2026.

Taking the HS2 railway into central London is crucial to unlocking its full potential to create more jobs, more homes and to boost the British economy.
- the first of 2 HS2 tunnel boring machines begins its journey from Old Oak Common to Euston station
- key step on a major milestone in the government’s commitment to bring the new, high-speed rail line into central London
- delivering HS2 to Euston supports the government’s mission to kickstart economic growth, with recent estimates showing development at Euston could add around £41 billion to the UK economy by 2053
High Speed Two’s (HS2’s) journey into central London is a stop closer today (27 January 2026), after a huge tunnel boring machine started its passage from Old Oak Common in the capital’s west, to Euston station, marking a key milestone in the government’s commitment to deliver the new, high-speed rail line to the city centre.

Taking HS2 to Euston is essential to unlocking the project’s full economic potential, with estimates from Camden Council suggesting a mix of new homes and commercial development at Euston could add £41 billion to the economy by 2053 and support 34,000 new jobs. Today’s tunnelling in Old Oak Common is part of wider progress on HS2 and follows the completion of 23 miles of tunnels, 19 bridges and 2 viaducts along the rail line’s route from central London to Birmingham.

The Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, Darren Jones, and the Rail Minister, Lord Hendy, visited Old Oak Common station alongside the Chief Executive Officer of HS2 Ltd, Mark Wild, and Transport for London (TfL) Commissioner, Andy Lord, to switch on the 1,624-tonne tunnel boring machine, which will excavate a 4.5-mile tunnel between the 2 stations.

The machine works by both excavating and constructing the tunnel as it goes, slotting concrete segments into place to build the structure through which HS2’s trains will travel. It is the first of 2 tunnel boring machines that will construct the 2 parallel tunnels to Euston and is named ‘Madeleine’ after the former president of the Women’s Engineering Society, Madeleine Nobbs.

Rail Minister, Lord Hendy, said:

It was brilliant to switch on the tunnel boring machine at Old Oak Common today – not just because it’s an engineering marvel – but because it brings HS2’s journey to Euston another step closer to reality.

We’re putting HS2 back on track, and taking the railway into central London is crucial to unlocking its full potential to deliver more jobs, more homes and a long-term boost to the whole British economy.

Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, Darren Jones, said:

There’s nothing boring about tunnel boring. Today’s launch was a brilliant moment for the UK’s railways, building on 6 major rail tunnel and road milestones completed ahead of schedule last year.

We’re boosting the links between our big cities across the country to create more opportunities for people to trade, meet and socialise with each other, turning the corner on years of decline.

HS2 Ltd CEO, Mark Wild, said:

On my first day at HS2, I unveiled the Euston TBMs as they were being prepared to build the Euston Tunnel. Just over a year on, we’re beginning to excavate the tunnel – a show of confidence that HS2 will be built into central London and kickstart economic growth.

Over the past 12 months, I have been leading a comprehensive reset across HS2 to get it back on track and I am confident that we’re on the right path to delivering HS2 safely and efficiently. The start of tunnelling here today is a part of the strong foundations we can build upon to completing HS2 and deliver better journeys for rail passengers.

With over 33,000 people currently working to build the high-speed railway, HS2 is estimated to add £10 billion to the west London economy over the next decade, including 22,000 more homes and almost 19,000 new jobs. Once complete, HS2 will mean faster, better train travel for passengers between London and Birmingham and beyond.

Andy Lord, London’s Transport Commissioner, said:

Today marks a significant milestone in the journey towards bringing high-speed services into Euston, unlocking faster journeys and delivering greater connectivity, as well as supporting growth in jobs and homes in the heart of the capital.

At TfL, we’re working closely with our partners to ensure the best possible experience for customers interchanging between London Underground, London Buses, HS2 and National Rail services at Euston.

Jules Pipe, Deputy Mayor, Planning, Regeneration and the Fire Service, said:

Today is an important and exciting milestone for HS2 as this much-needed new high-speed rail line into central London gets another step closer to completion.

It will boost the UK economy by £41 billion and support 34,000 new jobs, while delivering 22,000 more homes for Londoners over the next decade.

The mayor and I will continue working closely with government and partners to unlock the full economic potential of our transport network as we build a better, more prosperous London for everyone.

Today’s milestone comes as HS2 Ltd’s CEO Mark Wild leads a comprehensive reset of HS2 to ensure the new railway is delivered safely between London and Birmingham at the lowest reasonable cost. Despite HS2’s challenges, the project supports the government’s mission to kickstart economic growth by creating jobs, homes, and unlocking much-needed rail capacity, with over 33,000 people currently working to build the high-speed railway.

The delivery of the government’s plans for Euston will be taken forward by a new body, the Euston Delivery Company. Once established, the company will lead delivery of an affordable and integrated transport hub – including the new HS2 station, the redevelopment of the existing station, and upgrades to the London Underground station – along with commercial development across the Euston campus.

More broadly, the government is delivering landmark legislation to overhaul the railway and bring it together under Great British Railways, a new body which will be owned by the public and deliver for the public. The government is also making fares cheaper through the first fare freeze in 30 years, which is putting money back in millions of passengers’ pockets and easing the cost of living for hard-working people.

Leader of Camden Council, Councillor Richard Olszewski, said:

Euston holds a once-in-a-century opportunity to boost the national economy, build much-needed affordable homes, and create new jobs for people in Camden and beyond.

The start of tunnelling brings us a step closer to that future, adding new momentum and even-greater confidence in Euston’s potential to be a driver of national growth.

In Camden, we stand ready to lead the next chapter of Euston’s vibrant history through a new, locally led development corporation – working with the GLA and government to make Euston a place that delivers for the country, the capital and our communities.

Richard Adams, Managing Director of Skanska Costain STRABAG joint venture, said:

We are delighted to be commencing our final TBM drives to build the 2 4.5-mile tunnels to Euston. During this work, our TBMs will remove over 1.5 million tonnes of excavated material and place more than 8,000 pre-cast rings, built in a dedicated facility in Hartlepool.

Our tunnel segments and excavated material will all be transported by rail and managed through our state of the art logistics hub. This will remove over 70,000 lorry journeys from the local road network, emphasising our commitment to being a good neighbour and greener construction.

SCS JV has already driven 8.4 miles of twin-bore tunnels under London, from West Ruislip to Old Oak Common and our expert teams on site will work 24/7 to deliver these final HS2 tunnel drives with the highest levels of safety and productivity.
30/01/2026
PRESS RELEASE : UPR51 – UK Statement on Oman [January 2026]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 27 January 2026.

Delivered at Oman’s Universal Periodic Review at the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Thank you, Vice President,

The UK recognises Oman’s progress on human rights issues since its last review, particularly efforts to combat human trafficking, including through the introduction of a new Anti-Trafficking Law. We also welcome Oman’s accession to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

However, we encourage continued action to ensure full equality for women and girls in law and in practice, in line with the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.

We urge Oman to continue enhancing the rights and protections afforded to migrant workers within its national legal framework.

We recommend Oman:
1. Fully implements its new anti-trafficking legislation;
2. Continues strengthening its domestic laws and policies to safeguard the rights and welfare of migrant workers.
3. Brings forward reforms which ensure gender equality is guaranteed in its nationality laws.
Thank you.
30/01/2026
NEWS STORY : UK condemns North Korea following latest ballistic missile launch

STORY

The UK Government has expressed deep concern after North Korea conducted another ballistic missile launch on 27 January 2026. In a statement released by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), a spokesperson highlighted that the act serves as a direct violation of multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions.

The British government warned that such launches continue to destabilise peace and security across the Korean Peninsula. This latest provocation follows a series of similar tests by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) over recent months, which have consistently drawn international condemnation for threatening regional stability and the rules-based international system.

In its official response, the FCDO urged the North Korean leadership to cease further provocations and instead focus on the well-being of its citizens. The UK continues to call for the DPRK to engage in meaningful diplomacy and return to the negotiating table. British officials noted that they remain committed to working alongside international partners, including Japan and the Republic of Korea, to ensure a robust and collective response to the ongoing threat posed by the DPRK’s unlawful weapons development.

30/01/2026
PRESS RELEASE : Prime Minister – “We’re capping ground rents at £250” [January 2026]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 27 January 2026.

Millions of leaseholders across England and Wales are set to benefit from a major shake-up of the outdated leasehold system – with ground rents set to be capped at £250 a year, changing to a peppercorn cap after 40 years.

Making the announcement in a video on TikTok this morning, Prime Minister Keir Starmer sets out how the cap will save some families hundreds of pounds as the cost of living is the single most important issue across the country.

New leasehold flats will also be banned and homeownership strengthened thanks to groundbreaking legislation that will give people control over their homes and calls an end to the feudal leasehold system which dates to medieval times.

Over 5 million leaseholders and future homeowners will benefit from stronger control, powers and protections, through the draft Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill published today (Tuesday 27 January), which will fundamentally rewire homeownership across England and Wales.

It will cap ground rent at £250 a year before ultimately reducing it to a peppercorn after 40 years – marking the end of residential leaseholders paying over the top bills for no clear service in return.

This move will ensure leaseholders keep more of their hard-earned cash, with many seeing savings of over £4,000 over the course of their lease, improving cost of living for millions. This will also unlock house sales for leaseholders whose lives have been put on hold because of ground rent terms that make their homes hard to sell.

In a video on TikTok making the announcement, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:

Good news for homeowners, we’re capping ground rent at £250. That means if you are a leaseholder, and your ground rent is more than £250, you’ll be paying less.

And I’ve spoken to so many people who say this will make a difference to them of hundreds of pounds.

That’s really important because the cost of living is the single most important thing across the country.

So this is a promise that we said we’d deliver and I’m really pleased that we’re delivering on that promise.

Secretary of State for Housing Steve Reed said:

If you own a flat you can be forced to pay ground rents that can become completely unaffordable. We said we’d be on the side of leaseholders – which is why today we are capping ground rent – helping millions of leaseholders by saving them money and giving them control over their home.

The leasehold system has tainted the dream of home ownership for so many. We are taking action where others have failed –strengthening home ownership and calling time on leasehold for good.

Forfeiture, whereby leaseholders can lose their home and the equity they built up by defaulting on a debt as low as £350, will also be abolished and a new enforcement regime will rebalance the system – making it fairer between landlord and leaseholder.

A new process to make it easier for existing leaseholders to convert to commonhold will also be introduced under a revamped commonhold model where homeowners will receive a stake in the ownership of their buildings and be given a stronger say in the issues that affect them, with greater control over how the building is managed and the bills they pay.

The reinvigorated commonhold system will ensure it works for all types of developments, as well as mortgage lenders, with strong management rules in place around repairs and leadership, and greater rights for homeowners.

Those living in the building will have a say in the annual budget and how the building is run, and new protections when things go wrong. Current leaseholders will also be given the opportunity to switch to commonhold, where the majority of residents agree to it.

The reforms build on action currently being undertaken by the government to implement the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024, including increased transparency over service charges so that leaseholders can better hold their landlords to account.

This comes as the government passed through its landmark Renters’ Rights Act, delivering the biggest boost to renters’ security and protections in a generation – ending unfair ‘no fault’ evictions, multiple rent hikes and bidding wars, and giving millions more stability and control over their homes.

Supportive stakeholder comments

Sarah Cardell, Chief Executive of the CMA said:

CMA action has freed thousands of homeowners from doubling ground rents, and we have long supported a cap on ground rents to make sure all leaseholders get the fair deal they deserve. The CMA welcomes the government’s proposals so people won’t have to struggle against these rising fees anymore – particularly when many are already grappling with high costs elsewhere.

RICS Chief Executive Justin Young said:

Today’s announcement offers greater certainty and clarity on the Government’s proposed reforms to the leasehold system, including long-awaited action on ground rents. The publication of the draft Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill is a critical step in this process. RICS looks forward to working with members, MHCLG, and other key stakeholders to deliver the best outcomes for consumers and the market”.

Martin Boyd, Chair of the Leasehold Advisory Service said:

This is a significant milestone for leaseholders and marks the beginning of the end for the leasehold system as we know it. The draft Bill tackles some of the most damaging features of leasehold, including high and escalating ground rents and the threat of forfeiture, which has left some leaseholders at risk of losing their homes over relatively small debts.

More fundamentally, the Bill signals a decisive shift away from leasehold as the default form of home ownership. Moving towards commonhold, and making it easier for existing buildings to convert where leaseholders choose to do so, has the potential to give homeowners genuine control, security and long-term certainty over their homes.

Chris Norris, Chief Policy Officer for the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) said:

Around one in four leasehold homes are in the private rented sector. Given this, the greater certainty provided by today’s announcements is welcome.

In particular, the cap on ground rents will enable landlords to plan more effectively for future expenditure and business costs.

29/01/2026
NEWS STORY : Western Allies Urge Restraint in Syria to Prevent ISIS Resurgence

STORY

In a joint statement released on 27 January 2026, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and the United States have called for an immediate de-escalation of tensions in North East Syria to avoid a “security vacuum” that could be exploited by the Islamic State (ISIS). The diplomatic intervention followed high-level meetings between UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, German Minister of State Serap Güler and US Special Envoy Tom Barrack.

The four nations welcomed the 15-day extension of the ceasefire between Syrian Government Forces and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced on 24 January. International observers remain particularly concerned about the security of ISIS detention centres in the region, where thousands of detainees are currently held. To mitigate the risk of mass escapes during the volatility, the United States has begun an operation to transfer approximately 7,000 of the most “hardened” ISIS fighters from SDF-run prisons to detention facilities in Iraq.

The joint statement emphasised that a unified and sovereign Syrian state that protects the rights of all citizens remains the most effective path to long-term stability. This diplomatic push aligns with a new 14-point integration plan, which seeks to disband the SDF and merge its individual members into the Syrian national army and police forces. While the current ceasefire has allowed the first UN aid convoys to reach besieged areas like Kobani, the humanitarian situation remains critical, with over 173,000 people displaced by the recent offensive.

29/01/2026
PRESS RELEASE : Situation in North East Syria – Joint statement [January 2026]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 27 January 2026.

Joint statement by France, Germany, the UK and the USA, following a meeting with the French Foreign Minister, German Minister of State, UK Foreign Secretary and US Special Envoy.

Joint statement by France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States following a meeting with French Foreign Minister Jean Noël Barrot, United Kingdom Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, German Minister of State Serap Güler, and US Special Envoy Tom Barrack:

We welcome the 15-day extension of the ceasefire between the Syrian Government Forces and the Syrian Democratic Forces announced on 24 January. We call upon all parties to strictly adhere to the ceasefire and to exercise their utmost restraint. We urge all external parties to join us in pursuit of peace and de-escalation of violence.

We reiterate the obligation of all parties to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure. We welcome the establishment of humanitarian corridors to ensure the safe and unimpeded delivery of humanitarian assistance. We emphasise that these corridors must be maintained, and basic services resumed in the city of Kobane.

We also welcome the vital role played by partners, including Iraq, the Kurdistan Regional Government, the Syrian Government and the Syrian Democratic Forces, in addressing the challenges posed by ISIS.

We urge all parties to swiftly agree to a permanent ceasefire, and to resume as soon as possible negotiations aiming at the peaceful and sustainable integration of North-East Syria into a unitary and sovereign state that effectively respects and protects the rights of all its citizens, based on the 18 January 2026 agreement, as the most effective path to stability in Syria.

We reiterate the need to maintain and focus collective efforts on the fight against ISIS. We call upon all parties to avoid any security vacuum in and around ISIS detention centres. To address these concerns, we agreed to promptly convene a meeting of the International Coalition against ISIS.

We reaffirm our support for an inclusive political transition in Syria, which protects the rights of all Syrians, and emphasise that the stabilisation of North-East Syria through peaceful means constitutes a central priority for preventing a resurgence of terrorism and for regional security. We underline readiness to support and monitor, together with regional and international partners, the implementation of agreements between the parties which aim at a peaceful and sustainable integration of North-East Syria into a unitary, inclusive and sovereign state, effectively protecting the rights of all its citizens.

29/01/2026
PRESS RELEASE : Courts expansion to deliver speedier justice for victims [January 2026]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 27 January 2026.

Former court buildings in Fleetwood, Telford, Chichester and Cirencester – used as Nightingale Courts since the pandemic – will now become permanent fixtures.
- Nightingale Court era over as four temporary courts become permanent fixtures
- Next step in wider Government plans to end interminable delay for victims
- Move comes as new landmark London court readies for opening
Thousands of victims will be spared from interminable delays waiting to see justice done thanks to a significant expansion to the court’s estate.

Former court buildings in Fleetwood, Telford, Chichester and Cirencester – used as Nightingale Courts since the Covid-19 pandemic – will now become established parts of the court estate, ending their temporary status.

This move secures 11 additional courtrooms across the country where capacity is most needed, covering a mixture of criminal, family and civil cases – tackling the caseload and delivering swifter justice for victims.

Today’s news comes as the Courts Minister, Sarah Sackman, visited the site of the new London Law Courts – a state-of-the-art building which, when open next year, will act as the benchmark for delivering modern, transparent and speedy justice.

The building will provide 18 new state-of-the-art courtrooms which can hear Crown, magistrate and civil cases in the heart of London.

As part of the core estate, these former Nightingale Courts will now qualify for future modernisation and investment. This will allow HMCTS to put money into improving their infrastructure and ensure buildings are suitable for the latest technology – speeding up justice and providing a better experience for all court users.

Minister for Courts Sarah Sackman KC MP said:

This marks a new chapter for these courts. We’re ending the Nightingale era and making a lasting investment in justice. The permanent courtrooms, as part of our Plan for Change, will help deliver faster justice and give much-needed clarity to victims and the staff who serve them.

Investment matters, but it isn’t enough on its own. We must deliver bold reforms to put the broken system we inherited – on the brink of collapse – back on sustainable ground.

The move marks the end of the Nightingale courts initiative, which at its peak in July 2021 saw 60 temporary courtrooms operating in hotels, conference centres and office buildings to keep justice moving during the pandemic.

This year alone, the Government is investing £148.5 million to repair and upgrade courts across England and Wales – tackling longstanding maintenance issues, reducing delays caused by ageing infrastructure, and improving conditions for those who rely on them.

Alongside investment in the estate, Ministers have also increased funding for Crown Courts to sit a record 111,250 days this financial year. More sitting days means more hearings and faster justice.

The Deputy Prime Minister has also announced a bold package of reforms to bring down the Crown Court caseload which will be introduced when parliamentary time allows.
29/01/2026
PRESS RELEASE : Appointment of Bishop of Ely [January 2026]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 27 January 2026.

The King has approved the nomination of The Right Reverend Sarah Clark, Suffragan Bishop of Jarrow in the Diocese of Durham, for election as Bishop of Ely, in succession to The Right Reverend Stephen Conway, following his translation to the See of Lincoln.

Background

Sarah was educated at Loughborough University and prior to ordination worked as a civil servant within the Department of Employment. She trained for ministry at St. John’s College, Nottingham. She served her title at St. James Porchester, in the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham, and was ordained Priest in 1999.

In 2002, Sarah was appointed Rector of the United Benefice of Carlton-in-Lindrick and Langold with Oldcotes and, from 2009, she served as Team Rector of the Clifton Team Ministry in Nottingham. In 2011 Sarah became an honorary Canon of Southwell Minster and took on the additional role of Dean of Women’s Ministry. From 2014 she served as Archdeacon of Nottingham.

In 2019, Sarah took up her current role as Suffragan Bishop of Jarrow and, since 2024, she has additionally served as Acting Diocesan Bishop of Durham since The Right Reverend Paul Butler’s retirement from that See.

28/01/2026
PRESS RELEASE : Top British AI expertise to help spark renewal of public services and bolster national security [January 2026]
The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 27 January 2026.

Government sets out key part of its digital transformation agenda, bringing world class talent into Whitehall to modernise essential services.
- UK AI experts join government to improve everyday public services including in transport and national security with $1 million from Meta.
- Anthropic will collaborate with the government to create AI assistants that support job seekers with career advice and finding employment.
- This forms a key part of the government’s wider digital transformation agenda, bringing world‑class talent into Whitehall to modernise essential services and deliver quicker, safer and more efficient outcomes for the public.
People across the UK could benefit from faster, safer and more reliable public services as leading British AI specialists join government to modernise critical systems used every day – from public safety to transport maintenance.

Backed by a $1 million investment from Meta and delivered through the Alan Turing Institute, this new cohort of AI fellows will spend the next year developing open‑source tools that tackle some of the biggest challenges facing public services.

In transport, fellows will harness AI to develop models which analyse images and videos, enabling councils to prioritise infrastructure repairs more effectively.

Specialists will develop cutting-edge AI solutions which run offline or within secured networks to support national security and defence teams to make vital decisions while safeguarding sensitive data.

Ensuring emerging technologies like AI can go further and faster to support people at all stages of their lives, a new partnership with Anthropic also launches today to help build and pilot a dedicated assistant tool for public services. The AI assistant will support people through crucial life moments, starting with job seekers, providing custom career advice and help to lock down a job.

The technology, which will be entirely optional, is part of a cutting-edge plan to use AI agents for national government services, with a pilot expected to begin later this year.

Today’s announcement comes as the government marks a week of focused action, showcasing how emerging technologies like AI are being put to work for the public good, benefitting hardworking people at the point of delivery.

A bold new vision for how tech will be used to help re-wire Whitehall will drive a further boost to the government’s digital transformation agenda. Launched in January 2025, the roadmap capitalises on the AI Opportunities Action Plan as it prepares to celebrate its first birthday, bringing the benefits of AI to the frontline of public services.

Minister for Data and Modern Digital Government, Ian Murray said:

A digital world needs a modern, digital government. That is why we are enlisting the homegrown talent we already have to elevate our public services.

Having met the fellows I know they will play a pivotal role in re-wiring our healthcare, police, transport systems and more, to make sure hardworking people benefit from the opportunities that only technologies like AI can deliver.

Rob Sherman, VP, Deputy Chief Privacy Officer, Policy, at Meta said:

Meta is proud to help bring top British AI talent into government, fast-tracking the transformation of public services. Advanced AI is already woven into daily life—powering the UK’s economy, driving innovation, and enhancing quality of life for citizens. By placing AI experts at the heart of government institutions, we’re accelerating meaningful change and ensuring these benefits reach everyone.

Pip White, Head of UK, Ireland and Northern Europe at Anthropic:

We’re excited to partner with the UK government to help deliver on the AI Opportunities Action Plan.

This partnership with the UK government is central to our mission. It demonstrates how frontier AI can be deployed safely for the public benefit, setting the standard for how governments integrate AI into the services their citizens depend on.

Professor Mark Girolami, Acting CEO and Chief Scientist at the Alan Turing Institute said:

AI has huge potential to help us anticipate risks, improve decision making and boost productivity, strengthening the UK’s resilience and prosperity. The new fellows will play an important role in putting effective AI tools into the hands of our public servants in order to realise these benefits.

The programme brings together some of the UK’s leading AI researchers and practitioners including:
- Dr Armin Mustafa, University of Surrey – an expert in computer vision and AI‑driven modelling
- Angus Williams, Senior Data Scientist at the Alan Turing Institute – specialist in real‑world machine‑learning applications for the public sector
- Dr Shan Luo, Associate Professor of Computer Vision at King’s College London – known for robotics‑led approaches to imaging and automated decision‑making
- Dr Frank Soboczenski, Assistant Professor in AI at the University of York – a leader in trustworthy AI and safety‑critical systems
- Dr Mingfei Sun, Assistant Professor in Computer Science at the University of Manchester – an expert in large-scale reinforcement learning
Earlier this month, the UK government announced CustomerFirst – a new team within the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) focused on eliminating long wait times, repetitive form‑filling and outdated processes across a number of public services. To accelerate this work, government is bringing in additional private‑sector expertise and emerging technology to deliver tangible improvements on the frontline.

Led by Tristan Thomas, formerly of Monzo and with Greg Jackson, CEO of Octopus Energy as its first co‑chair, CustomerFirst will put modern technology to work to cut out long phone queues, reduce paperwork and make it easier and faster for people to access the services they rely on.
28/01/2026