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.

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.