Former Science Minister appointed as innovative regulation Chair to bring game-changing tech like drone medicine deliveries to the public faster

Former Government minister Lord Willetts has been appointed the first Chair of the Regulatory Innovation Office (RIO) to lead a team focused on bringing emerging technologies like drones delivering medicines or AI training software for surgeons to market quickly and safely to improve lives.

To kick off his new role, Lord Willetts visited Guy's Hospital in London with Science Minister Lord Vallance to see firsthand how drones are transforming healthcare logistics. Drones are already cutting blood delivery times from 30 minutes to just 2 minutes, speeding up testing turnaround times to improve NHS productivity. British start-up Apian, founded by NHS doctors, works with global drone company Wing to fly blood samples from Guy's to Synnovis' lab at St Thomas' Hospital for urgent testing. This rapid turnaround service supports some of their most vulnerable patients, ensuring they have the best possible care.

This life-saving technology could soon be used more widely across the NHS – making faster, more efficient care a reality for patients across the country, supporting the Government's Plan for Change mission to capitalise on the scientific and technological revolution happening around us to improve outcomes and save lives.

Lord Willetts' work as Chair of RIO will help accelerate the rollout of drones and other autonomous vehicles to transform other industries, from faster package delivery through to groceries and takeaways being delivered to your door. Drones have huge potential, with a PwC report predicting they could contribute up to £45 billion to the UK economy by 2030 if it was adopted to its full potential (1). The RIO will also support three other fast-growing areas of technology: engineering biology, space,  and AI in healthcare – potentially enabling a raft of new life-changing innovations like drought tolerant crops strengthening food security to AI-enabled cancer diagnoses.

The RIO was launched in October 2024 to cut red tape which unnecessarily impedes on new technologies coming to market and stunts growth, instead pivoting to a streamlined and pro-innovation environment which allows people across the UK to reap the real, positive impact of new tech safely and sooner, in turn supporting our Plan for Change.

Science and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said:

Lord Willetts brings the expertise and leadership experience that will be key to streamlining innovation and unapologetically unleash the innovation that we know can improve lives.

By shaping regulatory approaches in key sectors - from drones that could deliver everything from groceries to medicines through to AI-powered tools speeding up NHS diagnoses – the Regulatory Innovation Office will be a central thread running through this Government's mission to improve lives, create jobs, and drive the economic growth across the country that is central to our Plan for Change.

Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said:

There are huge possibilities out there in everything from medical technology to life sciences. Britain should be at the forefront of this technological revolution.

The only way to achieve that is to move our analogue NHS into the digital age, embrace innovation, and scrap unnecessary regulation holding us back.

Our Plan for Change will make our NHS fit for the future, harnessing groundbreaking moves like drone medical goods deliveries, so we can provide the best possible care for patients.

Lord Willetts brings a wealth of experience in science policy, regulation, and leadership to the post. As Minister for Universities and Science from 2010 to 2014, Lord Willetts championed the ‘Eight Great Technologies,' securing £600 million in government support for high-potential sectors (2), including space, synthetic biology, and autonomous systems. Lord Willetts has also served on the boards of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the UK Space Agency for over eight years, taking a leading role in supporting innovation and appreciating the value of new technologies in furthering UK science and technology.

The appointment comes ahead of the Science and Technology Secretary addressing Tech UK today (10 March) on plans to drive a decade of innovation with our Industrial Strategy – laying out a vision for 2035 where technology is a force for good in people's lives. He will outline the Government's commitment to backing innovators over blockers, enabling game-changing technologies of the future that will improve lives across the UK, giving business the confidence and support they need to invest in R&D that can grow the economy. From quantum scanners that could detect diseases like dementia earlier to super-fast internet access in the most remote reaches of Britain, he will set out how the Government will support businesses to create jobs, grow communities, and develop innovations that transform everyday life.

Lord Willetts said:

I am honoured to take on this role at a pivotal time for the UK's innovation landscape.

The Regulatory Innovation Office has an exciting opportunity to shape regulatory approaches that empower new technologies, and I look forward to working alongside the team to deliver real change and support the UK's position as a global leader in science and technology.

CEO of Apian Alexander Trewby said:

Today marks our 2,000th drone-delivered blood sample, proving how innovation is transforming NHS operations and accelerating patient care.

With RIO clearing regulatory roadblocks, we're scaling autonomous logistics across healthcare and driving economic growth through faster, more efficient services. This is the kind of innovation that our partners, like Synnovis, value as they process 30 million tests annually across their hub and broader network.

The Government is also today announcing funding for Round 2 of the Engineering Biology Sandbox Fund. This Fund, opening in April, will help innovators understand and tackle regulatory barriers in transformative innovations so that emerging products are brought to market more quickly, safely, and cost-effectively. 

This will build on the work from the winning project from Round 1 of the Fund, which officially launches today, funded previously by DSIT and run by the Food Standards Agency and Food Standards Scotland. The two-year programme will inform new regulatory processes for cell-cultivated pro­ducts - like cell-cultivated meat such as meat grown from animal cells in a lab environment – driving growth in sectors ranging from fuels and food to health and the environment, contributing to the Government missions on economic growth, public health, and clean energy.

Steve Bates OBE, CEO of the UK BioIndustry Association (BIA) said:

The UK's world-class strength in engineering biology and AI is a unique opportunity to drive economic growth and deliver innovative products that improve all our lives, from reducing the carbon footprint of food to better targeting medicines. Regulation when done right can be a true enabler of innovation. The BIA has been closely involved in the development of this new approach to engineering biology through the Regulatory Horizons Council and the Responsible Innovation Advisory Panel. 

We congratulate Lord Willetts in his new role leading the RIO, and look forward to working with him to drive real progress and ensure that great British innovations reach the public faster, for the benefit of society and the economy.

References

1 https://www.pwc.co.uk/issues/technology/drones/the-impact-of-drones-on-the-uk-economy.html

2 https://policyexchange.org.uk/publication/the-eight-great-technologies-10-years-on/#contents__accordion