Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of stockpiling (a) critical minerals and (b) (i) cathode active materials, (ii) black mass and (iii) other derivative products in the context of (A) industrial resilience and (B) supply chain security.

This Government recognises the importance of domestic supply in insulating UK industry from potential economic shocks, but working with international partners to diversify global supply chains is also essential in building resilience and improving security of supply.

Solutions such as targeted stockpiling measures (both government and industry led), diversified international supply, and expansion of recycling capabilities provide opportunities to improve resilience and security of supply while reducing demand for virgin inputs. We need to take a proactive approach and will work with UK industry to ensure that policies developed have clear, tangible benefits for both economic security and growth.