London lawmakers demand accountability over Palantir’s NHS contract

In early June 2026, a UK Science, Innovation & Technology Committee brought a scathing report to Parliament, condemning the National Health Service’s choice of Palantir—a U.S. technology firm—to provide data‑integration software worth £330 million. The report, released Wednesday, argued that the partnership represented a dangerous point of weakness for public data, raising concerns over security, privacy, and vendor lock‑in.

The seven‑year contract, awarded in 2023, is intended to connect disparate health data to support decision‑making by NHS doctors and administrators. Yet the committee concluded that Palantir’s “supply of software for the U.S. military and immigration services” and the political views of its billionaire co‑founder, Peter Thiel, conflict with UK values. “The government’s ambitions could be derailed at any time by a decision taken outside our shores based on the narrow interests of a foreign commercial or state actor,” the report warned.

Key recommendations include exercising a break clause in the existing contract and appointing a senior minister to lead the UK’s digital strategy. The report also criticised the government for lacking a coherent digital transformation plan for public services, describing its goal of saving £45 billion annually as “worryingly optimistic.”

Palantir remains silent, while the parliamentary committee’s findings underscore mounting public scepticism around the use of commercial AI tools in critical public services. The debate reflects broader discussions about technology governance, accountability, and the need for domestic control over essential health data.

Lawmakers are urging the government to re‑evaluate its long‑standing reliance on foreign technology providers, calling for a future where data sovereignty and national security are not compromised by outsourced AI solutions.