National Security and Investment Act 2021

The National Security and Investment Act 2021 (c. 25) (NSIA) is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which was announced in the Queen's Speech on 19 December 2019 and is a piece of legislation introduced in the House of Commons on 11 November 2020. Its Second Reading took place on 17 November 2020, and its Third Reading was scheduled for Wednesday 20 January 2021.^[1][2]

National Security and Investment Act 2021

Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long title	An Act to make provision for the making of orders in connection with national security risks arising from the acquisition of control over certain types of entities and assets; and for connected purposes.
Citation	2021 c. 25
Introduced by	Kwasi Kwarteng (Commons) Lord Callanan (Lords)
Territorial extent	England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
Dates
Royal assent	29 April 2021
Status: Current legislation
History of passage through Parliament
Text of statute as originally enacted
Revised text of statute as amended

The NSIA was sponsored in the Commons by Alok Sharma, who was Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy in the Second Johnson ministry.^[3]

Commentary

While approaching its Third Reading, the Daily Telegraph was of the opinion that the "debate about foreign takeovers of companies central to the national interest - from technology to infrastructure - is certain to be a pulpit for argument between China hawks and doves."^[2]