Asked by: Perran Moon (Labour - Camborne and Redruth)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to improve postal services carried out by the Royal Mail in rural areas.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Ministers and officials have discussions with Royal Mail on a regular basis in its capacity as the universal service provider. It is for Ofcom, as the independent regulator of postal services, to set and monitor Royal Mail's service standards and decide how to use its powers to investigate and take enforcement action should Royal Mail fail to achieve its obligations without good justification.
The Government's objective in relation to postal services continues to be to secure a sustainable universal service for users throughout the UK, including those in remote and rural areas.
Asked by: Perran Moon (Labour - Camborne and Redruth)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending the Energy Intensive Industries support scheme to include (a) metal manufacturing, (b) mining and (c) disposal of waste.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The British Industry Supercharger already covers manufacturers of iron, steel, aluminium and other metals, and mining companies, subject to the business-level test on electricity usage. Iron and steel manufacturers may also be eligible for compensation on indirect carbon costs stemming from electricity generation. We will conduct an eligibility review for the British Industry Supercharger in 2026 to account for changing business trends.
Asked by: Perran Moon (Labour - Camborne and Redruth)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will take steps to make an assessment of international comparisons of support provided to (a) minerals, (b) metals and (c) processing companies through the (i) planning and (ii) permitting process.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) actively monitors support provided to companies operating across the critical minerals supply chain in comparable countries, including planning and permitting processes.
In the forthcoming Critical Minerals Strategy, DBT will outline further details of the Government’s approach to supporting the UK’s domestic mining, processing and recycling industries, and developing the UK’s competitive advantage.
Asked by: Perran Moon (Labour - Camborne and Redruth)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of securing the imports of critical minerals in (a) semi-manufactured materials and (b) raw materials.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
A secure supply of critical minerals is vital for the UK's economic growth and security, industrial strategy, and clean energy transition. Building on the UK Critical Minerals Intelligence Centre’s updated criticality assessment, government will work hand in hand with industry to publish a new Critical Minerals Strategy this year. This new, targeted Critical Minerals Strategy will help secure our supply chains for the long term and drive forward the green industries of the future.
As part of the ongoing engagement, the government will engage with stakeholders to gather expertise and insights to shape our approach to securing critical minerals.
Asked by: Perran Moon (Labour - Camborne and Redruth)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to his Department's policy paper entitled UK Critical Mineral Strategy, last updated on 13 March 2024, what recent estimate he has made of the value of critical mineral exports.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
In 2024, the UK exported an estimated £10 billion worth of critical minerals. This figure was calculated using HMRC trade statistics, and the definition of “critical minerals” comes from internationally comparable HS trade codes published by the US Geological Survey. This figure does not include the many downstream products that are produced using critical minerals.
Asked by: Perran Moon (Labour - Camborne and Redruth)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department plans to extend the Energy Intensive Industries support scheme.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The British Industry Supercharger was launched in 2024 and provides support to Energy Intensive Industries to bring electricity costs for those strategically important UK industries closer in line with other major economies so that they remain competitive on the world stage. The measures save eligible businesses on average around £24 – £31 per MWh on their electricity costs. The British Industry Supercharger will be reviewed regularly.
Asked by: Perran Moon (Labour - Camborne and Redruth)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to help increase the production of cathode active materials for use in the (a) critical minerals and (b) battery supply chain.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Our vision is to achieve a domestic battery supply chain by 2030 by accelerating the growth of domestic capabilities, collaborating with international partners, and enhancing international markets. The UK National Wealth Fund (NWF) announced in January an investment of £28m in Cornish Metals. This recognises the crucial role of a domestic supply of raw materials for electric vehicles and other technologies in the nation's transition to net zero.
We are also working on regulatory levers to incentivise reuse, repurposing, and recycling infrastructure for all battery chemistry types, including lithium-based technologies.