Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his counterpart in Argentina on Argentina's supply of lithium to the UK.

Securing a sustainable supply of lithium globally is crucial to delivering Net Zero. Cooperation on lithium therefore forms an important part of our engagement with Argentina. During my visit to Argentina earlier this year, I (the Minister for Americas and the Caribbean, David Rutley MP) discussed the UK's role as a key scientific, academic and economic partner in lithium exploration in meetings with the Argentine Vice-Foreign Minister and Energy Secretary, building on exchanges at senior official and expert level. We want constructive collaboration on lithium to continue to benefit both the UK and Argentina and regret the recent decision of the Government of Argentina to withdraw from the 2016 Joint Communiqué.