Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment their Department has made of the potential effect of the merger between Three and Vodafone on their Department's contracts with Vodafone.

As an open economy, the Government welcomes and encourages investment where it supports the Prime Minister’s goal of boosting UK growth and jobs, meets the stringent legal and regulatory requirements, and does not compromise our national security. The Government has robust powers under the National Security and Investment Act 2021, which it introduced, to block or impose remedies on transactions that pose a national security risk.

The Department cannot comment on specific acquisitions nor the applicability of the National Security and Investment regime.

It is the responsibility of Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to assess the effect on consumers and competition in the market, with input from sectoral regulators.

The Investment Security Unit works closely with the CMA on cases that are being considered for both national security and competition reasons. A memorandum of understanding has been agreed between the Investment Security Unit and the CMA to assist joint working. This memorandum of understanding is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/operation-of-the-national-security-and-investment-act-2021-memorandum-of-understanding/mou-between-beis-and-the-cma-on-the-operation-of-the-national-security-and-investment-act-2021.