The statement made by Oliver Dowden, the Deputy Prime Minister, on 26 January 2024.
The UK Government has approved the Strategic Relationship Agreement between Vodafone and e&. Using the National Security & Investment Act it has put in place proportionate measures to address any potential national security concerns.
The UK is rightly a magnet for global investment and, in this spirit, the Act is entirely country-agnostic.
Where investment might impact the UK’s national security – for example through the acquisition of certain technologies or infrastructure – we will work with investment partners to minimise any risk. As part of our Critical National Infrastructure, telecoms is one such sector. Vodafone is also a particularly important company for the UK Government given its critical functions, including as a key partner in HMG’s Cyber Security Strategy.