Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department maintains a public register or internal inventory of automated decision-making systems.

The Government is committed to the safe, ethical and transparent use of algorithmic decision-making and wider algorithmic tools. Transparency is essential to building public trust, enabling accountability, and improving understanding of how algorithms influence decisions and services.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) does not maintain a public register or internal inventory of automated decision-making systems. However, DSIT supports transparency through the Algorithmic Transparency Recording Standard (ATRS), which establishes a standardised way for public sector organisations to publish information about how and why they are using algorithmic tools.

The ATRS is mandatory for all government departments, and for ALBs which deliver public or frontline services, or directly interact with the general public. It applies to algorithmic tools which have a significant influence on a decision-making process with public effect or directly interact with the general public.

The scope of the ATRS encompasses many of the most significant uses of automated decision-making and algorithmic tools, and those of the greatest interest to citizens and stakeholders.

The ATRS template, scope and exemptions policy, and the repository of published records are hosted on the ATRS Hub on GOV.UK.