Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether the Government categorises large-scale AI and data-centre infrastructure to be of strategic national importance; and what protections or ownership safeguards it plans to apply to them.

Data centres are vital to the UK’s prosperity and security and underpin our digital economy and AI ambitions. We have taken decisive action and work closely with industry to monitor and mitigate potential future threats to data centres.

Last year we designated data centres as Critical National Infrastructure and are legislating through the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill to introduce proportionate regulatory oversight in the sector. The National Security and Investment (NSI) Act 2021 also gives the Government powers to intervene in or block investments and other acquisitions in the UK economy that could harm national security, and data infrastructure is one of the 17 mandatory areas of the economy requiring a notification to Government.