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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what process his Department followed to prepare the national security assessment prior to the Newport Wafer Fab divestment decision; and what evidence his Department received as part of that process.

Answered by Nusrat Ghani

The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy takes decisions under the National Security and Investment Act 2021 in a quasi-judicial capacity. The Investment Security Unit coordinates expertise from across Government so that the Secretary of State may make decisions based on the evidence. It would not be appropriate to comment on the detail of national security assessments.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he considered evidence (a) that the UK and Welsh Governments (i) were aware in advance of and (ii) raised no objections to the acquisition of Newport Wafer Fab by Nexperia and (b) of the level of investment by Nexperia into the Water Fab since its acquisition when making his decision on divestment.

Answered by Nusrat Ghani

The National Security and Investment Act was not in force when the original acquisition took place in 2021. The Secretary of State used retrospective powers to call-in and assess the acquisition under the Act. The Secretary of State takes decisions under the Act in a quasi-judicial capacity, based on the facts and evidence presented to him. The Act only allows the Secretary of State to make a Final Order to prevent, remedy or mitigate risks to national security, and not for wider political or economic reasons. As you’d expect, I’m unable to comment on the details of national security assessments.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his officials visited the Newport Wafer Fab prior to the announcement of the divestment decision.

Answered by Nusrat Ghani

On 9 May 2022, Government officials with expertise in the semiconductor sector visited the facility and met representatives of Nexperia. The Secretary of State for the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy called in the acquisition and began the assessment process on 25 May 2022. As is required under the National Security and Investment Act, the Secretary of State considered all representations made by the company when making the Final Order.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will publish the recommendation from the BEIS Investment Security Unit on the Newport Wafer Fab divestment decision.

Answered by Nusrat Ghani

The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy takes decisions under the National Security and Investment Act 2021 in a quasi-judicial capacity, based on the facts and evidence. It would not be appropriate to share details of the national security assessment, including advice provided by officials to the Secretary of State in support of his quasi-judicial role.