{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/national-security-act-2023/section-33",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/national-security-act-2023/section-33.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/2023/32",
  "legislation_title": "National Security Act 2023",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/national-security-act-2023",
  "path": "section/33",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "33",
  "heading": "Foreign power threat activity and involvement in that activity",
  "text": "(1) In this Part references to foreign power threat activity and to involvement in foreign power threat activity are to one or more of the following—\n(a) the commission, preparation or instigation of acts or threats within subsection (3);\n(b) conduct which facilitates (or is intended to facilitate) conduct falling within paragraph (a);\n(c) conduct which gives support or assistance to a person (“P”), where the person who engages in the conduct—\n(i) knows or believes P to be involved in, and\n(ii) engages in the conduct for the purpose of giving support or assistance to,\nconduct falling within paragraph (a).\n(2) It is immaterial whether the activity within subsection (1) relates to specific acts or threats within subsection (3), or to acts or threats within that subsection in general.\n(3) References to acts or threats within this subsection are to—\n(a) acts which constitute an offence under—\n(i) section 1 (obtaining or disclosing protected information);\n(ii) section 2 (obtaining or disclosing trade secrets);\n(iii) section 3 (assisting a foreign intelligence service);\n(iv) section 4 (entering etc. a prohibited place for a purpose prejudicial to the UK);\n(v) section 12 (sabotage);\n(vi) section 13 (foreign interference: general);\n(vii) section 17(1) (obtaining material benefits from a foreign intelligence service);\n(viii) section 17A (supporting a designated body);\n(ix) section 17B (assisting a designated body);\n(x) section 17C (obtaining etc material benefits from a designated body);\n(b) acts within subsection (4) in relation to which the foreign power condition or the designated body condition is met;\n(c) threats to carry out acts within subsection (4), where the foreign power condition or the designated body condition is met in relation to the threats.\n(4) Acts are within this subsection if they—\n(a) involve serious violence against another person,\n(b) endanger the life of another person, or\n(c) create a serious risk to the health or safety of the public or a section of the public.\n(5) For the purposes of section 33A(1)(a) (designation of bodies involved in foreign power threat activity), this section is to be read as if—\n(a) in subsection (3)(a), sub-paragraphs (viii) to (x) were omitted;\n(b) in subsection (3)(b), the words “or the designated body condition” were omitted;\n(c) in subsection (3)(c), the words “or the designated body condition” were omitted.",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "S. 33(3)(a)(viii)-(x) inserted (8.7.2026) by National Security (State Threats) Act 2026 (c. 24), s. 7(1), Sch. para. 24(a)(i)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Words in s. 33(3)(b) inserted (8.7.2026) by National Security (State Threats) Act 2026 (c. 24), s. 7(1), Sch. para. 24(a)(ii)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Words in s. 33(3)(c) inserted (8.7.2026) by National Security (State Threats) Act 2026 (c. 24), s. 7(1), Sch. para. 24(a)(iii)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "S. 33(5) inserted (8.7.2026) by National Security (State Threats) Act 2026 (c. 24), s. 7(1), Sch. para. 24(b)"
    },
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I1",
      "text": "S. 33 not in force at Royal Assent, see s. 100(1)"
    },
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I2",
      "text": "S. 33 in force at 20.12.2023 by S.I. 2023/1272, reg. 2(a)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/32/section/33",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T08:52:07.318384+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}