Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps have been taken to track the reduction of strategic dependencies on foreign adversaries.

The National Security Strategy 2025 makes clear the UK’s national security and growth objectives will be profoundly affected by tensions between the major powers. Increasing our sovereign and asymmetric capabilities is a key part of the Strategy's response to the risk posed by strategic dependencies on foreign adversaries. As a trade-reliant nation, the UK must also balance economic openness with addressing risks and vulnerabilities. The Government is taking steps to deliver this.

The Supply Chain Centre, based in the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, is building the resilience of the supply chains critical to the UK’s security and prosperity, including working closely with industry. The Critical Minerals Strategy defines success criteria for foreign supply of critical minerals.

The Government is actively investing in and onshoring the industrial capabilities necessary for national security. For example, through the Sovereign AI fund we are developing a baseline level of sovereign AI technology capability and strengthening the UK’s position within the broader international ecosystem.