UK government to look into Nvidia's £31 billon deal for ARM

The UK government is to look into the sale of chip designer ARM to US giant Nvidia.

Digital minister Caroline Dinenage said the government would access the impact of the deal, including commitments to keep its head office and staff in Cambridge.

She said: "We are currently working very hard to understand the full impact of this move and what potential impact it may have on the future, and from there we are able to consider what steps we may wish to take."

Nvidia, the biggest US chip company in the world, has agreed to buy ARM from Japan's SoftBank for £31 billion.

Dinenage added that ministers would consider commitments made by SoftBank and Nvidia to maintain ARM as a successful British business “incredibly carefully”, and the government had already had discussions with the parties involved.

A decision about whether to intervene in the deal would then be taken by the secretary of state for digital, culture, media and sport after considering the relevant information.