The National Security Act 2023 is designed to modernise UK espionage laws. A key part of the new legislation is the protection of protected information and ‘trade secrets’. The Act applies to a United Kingdom national or an individual who lives in the United Kingdom. This has the potential to affect university researchers in their research, collaboration and commercialisation activities.
The Research Policy Committee has approved a briefing document providing advice on the National Security Act for researchers working with partners abroad. It provides guidance on how to comply with the Act and on how it interacts with existing export control legislation. Researchers undertaking international collaborations, particularly in applied science and technology areas, are advised to familiarise themselves with the briefing document.