“Forgetful” David Cameron authorised a £70,400 contract to assist Foreign Office workers keep in mind issues.
The division signed off a one-year contract for an AI software referred to as “Clever Nelly” that’s designed to assist officers with their information retention. The expertise, developed by Shoreditch-based agency Elephants Don’t Forget, sends workers micro-quizzes every day designed to extend recall by means of repetition.
It isn’t recognized whether or not the Foreign Secretary himself is utilizing the app however there are a selection of events the place it might have helped him.
On Sunday, Lord Cameron mentioned he can not keep in mind “in any detail” being briefed in regards to the Horizon scandal whereas he was Prime Minister. Despite being in No10 between 2010 and 2016, he instructed the BBC: “I don’t recall in any detail being briefed or being aware of the scale of this issue. We’ve got to get to the bottom of it, and that’s what inquiries do, they can look at what were ministers told, what information was put in front of them, what did they decide – because it’s hard to remember every letter and piece of paper put in front of you.”
On January 9, Lord Cameron additionally appeared to neglect what recommendation he’d acquired on the lawfulness of Israel’s air strikes throughout a grilling by the Foreign Affairs Committee. “I can’t recall every single piece of paper put in front of me,” he mentioned.
Back in 2021, he instructed MPs NINE instances that he could not keep in mind whether or not he had met particular people or mentioned sure issues throughout a grilling over his lobbying for failed agency Greensill Capital.
In 2016 he mentioned he’d suffered a “brain fade” when he forgot that he was an Aston Villa supporter – and mentioned: “Of course I’d rather you supported West Ham”.
And he famously left his daughter Nancy, then 8, at a pub close to the PM’s Chequers retreat in 2012.
A Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office spokesman mentioned: “This is a tool that improves staff performance by providing bite-sized training in an engaging way that adapts to match the needs of the role and individual. It is used by a number of leading businesses. All training costs undergo rigorous oversight to ensure they deliver best value to the taxpayer.”
It is known that the software isn’t utilized by ministers or their places of work.