Part 1: Call-in for national security Chapter 4: Procedure Section 16: Application for retrospective validation of notifiable acquisition
Section 16 provides for validation applications: any person who has been materially affected by the voiding of a notifiable acquisition may apply to the Secretary of State for a validation notice (see section 15) in relation to the acquisition. Pursuant to subsection (3) the Secretary of State may by regulations prescribe the form and content of a validation application.
	Subsection (4) provides that, as soon as reasonably practicable after receiving a validation application, the Secretary of State must decide whether to reject or accept the application (but, pursuant to subsection (8), he or she is not required to consider an application if, in his or her opinion, there has been no material change in circumstances since a previous application was made).
	Subsection (5) sets out the grounds on which the Secretary of State may reject a validation application. Subsection (6) provides that, if a validation application is rejected, the Secretary of State must, as soon as practicable, provide reasons in writing for that decision to the person who made the application.
	Subsection (8) provides that, if a validation application is accepted, the Secretary of State must, as soon as practicable, notify each relevant person, and, before the end of the review period (see the next paragraph), either give a call-in notice (see section 1) or a validation notice (see section 16) in relation to the acquisition. A validation notice must be given to each relevant person, who must also be notified that no further action will be taken under the Act in relation to the acquisition. Subsection (9) defines "relevant person" as the person who made the validation application and such other persons as the Secretary of State considers appropriate.
	Subsection (9) provides that the review period lasts 30 working days beginning with the day on which the Secretary of State notifies the person who made the validation application that it has been accepted.