Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the National Security and Investment: Sectors in Scope of the Mandatory Regime, published March 2021, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the sample size of respondents with respect to providing a basis for legislation.

The Government received 94 written responses to the consultation on the sectors in scope of the mandatory notification regime. The responses were used to refine and narrow the definitions for the basis of secondary legislation to provide further clarity for parties on whether their proposed acquisition comes in scope of the mandatory notification regime.

There were substantial responses for each sector definition and the responses received were representative of the key areas of the economy. This included investors, individuals, regulators, individual businesses, legal and advisory firms, trade associations and industry groups, academics and regulators. In addition, the Government has engaged informally with external stakeholders across the economy on the proposed descriptions.