Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Transport on the risk from small unmanned drones to (a) public order and (b) public safety.

The Home Office and Department for Transport collaborate closely with each other and a range of stakeholders, including operational partners and colleagues inside and outside of government, to address the risks posed to public order and safety posed by drone misuse.

The Air Traffic Management and Unmanned Aircraft Act 2021, which gives police powers to better protect against malicious or negligent drone use, was developed by DfT working closely with the Home Office.

The policy and operational tools to manage drone misuse sit across a number of agencies, including the Department for Transport, Home Office, Civil Aviation Authority and the police. DfT and HO engage regularly to ensure that the future of drone regulation and policy supports both the security needs of the UK and the legitimate use of drones.