Technology secretary Peter Kyle has pledged to strip away outdated regulations that delay cutting-edge technology like medical delivery drones and AI powered healthcare solutions.

Speaking at the TechUK conference on Monday, Kyle said that “there is no route to long term growth without innovation”.

He also announced plans for the first ever dedicated strategy for the digital and technology sector, which is centred on pro-innovation regulation.

Cutting red tape for innovation

Kyle highlighted the urgent need to remove unnecessary barriers that slow down new technology.

He cited an ongoing trial in London where medical drones are speeding up blood sample deliveries, a project that could be derailed by a single nose complaint.

Under the government’s new approach, such regulatory obstacles will be removed to ensure tech reaches the market quickly and safely.

To lead this transformation, former science minister Lord David Willetts has been appointed as the first chair of the Regulatory Innovation Office (RIO), tasked with modernising rules to accelerate game-changing technology.

The government is also investing in cutting edge technology, with Kyle announcing £12m for ten winners of Innovate UK’s quantum missions pilot, to advance quantum computing and networking.

Looking ahead

Kyle also outlined how the government’s Invest 2035 strategy will harness engineering biology, AI, semiconductors, cyber, quantum, and telecoms to build a stronger economy and improve lives across the UK.

He emphasised that the nation must be a stable partner for researchers and businesses, working alongside them to tackle the biggest challenges of the decade ahead.

Lord Willetts, now leading the RIO, said he was “honoured to shape regulatory approaches that empower new technologies”.

This comes as the government announces its plans to hit regulators with performance targets to drive innovation.