Have your say on the National Security and Investment Bill

Aims of the Bill

The National Security and Investment Bill aims to ensure that the government has the necessary powers to scrutinise and intervene in business transactions, such as takeovers, to protect national security, while providing businesses and investors with the certainty and transparency they need to do business in the UK.

The Bill legislates for a new National Security and Investment Regime. This new National Security and Investment regime replaces the Secretary of State’s ability to scrutinise mergers which give rise to a national security consideration under the Enterprise Act 2002.

The Bill’s stated objectives are:

• a separate national security screening regime, divorced from competition regulation
• broadening of the range of investments in scope by removing the turnover and share of supply thresholds, including a new definition of ‘entities’ and including acquisitions of assets
• a statutory requirement for parties to notify relevant transactions in the most sensitive areas of the economy;
• a clear process for businesses and investors, which is supported by a ‘call-in’ power that enables the government to assess deals which may give rise to national security risks
• a predictable statutory process, which includes: a Statement of Policy clarifying the parts of the economy in which the government considers national security risks are most likely to arise which will be updated regularly; time limits for the government to assess cases and make decisions; and appeal routes.

The Bill, Explanatory Notes, Delegated Powers Memorandum, Human Rights Memorandum and Impact Assessment have been published on bills.parliament.uk.

Follow the progress of the National Security and Investment Bill

The National Security and Investment Bill 2019–21 was introduced to the House of Commons on 11 November 2020. Second reading was held on 17 November 2020.

• Bills before Parliament: National Security and Investment Bill 2019–21
• Read Explanatory Notes: National Security and Investment Bill 2019–21
• House of Commons Library Briefing Paper

Oral evidence sessions are expected to be held on 24 and 26 November.

Deadline for written evidence submissions

The Public Bill Committee is now able to receive written evidence. The sooner you send in your submission, the more time the Committee will have to take it into consideration and possibly reflect it in an amendment. The order in which amendments are taken in Committee will be available in due course under Selection of Amendments on the Bill documents pages. Once the Committee has dealt with an amendment it will not revisit it.

The first sitting of the Public Bill Committee will be Tuesday 24 November and the Committee is scheduled to report by Tuesday 15 December 2020. However, please note that when the Committee concludes its consideration of the Bill it is no longer able to receive written evidence and it can conclude earlier than the expected deadline of 5.00pm on Tuesday 15 December 2020. You are strongly advised to submit your written evidence as soon as possible.

Your submission should be emailed to scrutiny@parliament.uk.

Further guidance on submitting written evidence can be found here.

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