Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of swarms of drones on national security; and whether research has been commissioned on that issue.

The Home Office coordinates the government’s homeland counter-drone policy and closely monitors how drones are being used in all threat areas. This includes organised crime, terrorism, and innovations coming out of conflict zones. We work closely with other Government departments and operational partners such as the police and the military, as well as the scientific community, to understand current and emerging drone and counter-drone technologies and the threats and opportunities they present, and to develop the necessary technical capabilities and legislation in response.

It would of course not be appropriate to comment on specific details of threat assessments.