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<p>The Government has a comprehensive range of powers to protect national security.
Under the Enterprise Act 2002, the Government has the power to prevent relevant mergers
and acquisitions concerning the UK’s critical national infrastructure on national
security grounds.</p><p> </p><p>In July 2018 the Department for Business, Energy,
and Industrial Strategy published the National Security and Investment White Paper
which sets out proposed reforms to the government’s powers to protect national security
from hostile actors using ownership of, or influence over, businesses and assets to
harm the country. These proposed reforms will address the technological and economic
changes that have taken place in recent years, that have changed the types of national
security threats the UK faces.</p><p> </p><p>Depending upon the factual scenario,
the Government may have other powers to ban or restrict a named company’s involvement
as (a) a UK critical national infrastructure operator; or (b) a supplier to a UK critical
national infrastructure operator. However, this will vary depending upon the specific
critical national infrastructure sector in question and how it is regulated.</p><p>
</p><p><strong>2018 White Paper:</strong> <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/728310/20180723_-_National_security_and_investment_-_final_version_for_printing__1_.pdf"
target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/728310/20180723_-_National_security_and_investment_-_final_version_for_printing__1_.pdf</a></p>
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