Rules to strengthen the UK government’s powers to scrutinise takeovers, which could raise national security concerns in specific areas of the economy, have been updated. The new rules, announced by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, will apply to businesses developing military technology, computing hardware and quantum technology. They aim to recognise the growing importance of small British businesses in developing cutting-edge technology products that can have national security applications. Currently, the government can only intervene in mergers when they meet tests related to the target company’s turnover or where the merger causes an increase in the parties’ overall share of supply of goods/servi