The UK government has launched the Regulatory Innovation Office (RIO) to reduce “red tape” and speed up access to new technologies which could improve daily life.

The government claims the RIO will reduce the burden for businesses aiming to bring new products and services to the market.

These include products such as AI training software for surgeons to provide more accurate surgical treatments for patients and drones which can improve business efficiency and quickly send critical deliveries to remote parts of the country.

The Department for Science, Industry and Technology (DSIT) said that the RIO will help regulators update regulation, speed up approvals, and ensure that different regulatory bodies work together smoothly. It added that the new office will work to continuously inform the government of regulatory barriers to innovation and set priorities for regulators.

The RIO will initially focus on four areas of technology: engineering biology, space, AI and digital in healthcare and connected and autonomous technology.

DSIT said these emerging technologies do not fit neatly into existing regulatory frameworks and can face a slower approval process getting to market.

The RIO will work with different government departments including the Department for Transport and the Department for Health and Social Care to address regulatory barriers in these initial growth areas.

“By speeding up approvals, providing regulatory certainty and reducing unnecessary delays, we’re curbing the burden of red tape so businesses and our public services can innovate and grow, which means more jobs, a stronger economy, and a better quality of life for people across the UK,” said science and technology secretary, Peter Kyle. “From breakthroughs that could help doctors diagnose illnesses earlier to satellite navigation for more accurate weather forecasting and getting emergency supplies to where they are needed, quickly and effectively, RIO will make sure UK companies are at the forefront of the next generation of technologies.”

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