Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress his Department has made on the (a) implementation and (b) operation of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme.

It remains an absolute priority for the government to take all necessary steps to protect the United Kingdom from any foreign state activity which seeks to undermine our national security, prosperity and democratic values.

The Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS), introduced under Part 4 of the National Security Act 2023, will support this aim by increasing transparency of foreign influence in UK politics and by providing greater assurance around the activities of specified foreign powers or foreign power-controlled entities.

We intend that the scheme will become operational in Autumn 2024. The work to deliver this is underway, including ensuring regulations on the new powers covered in the National Security Act are fully consulted on and are laid in Parliament as Statutory Instruments in advance of ‘go live’ of the scheme.

The Government expects to publicise the intended ‘go live’ date several months in advance to ensure those affected by the scheme are given sufficient time to prepare.