Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, if any, to ensure that the standards-based market detailed in the G7 Critical Minerals Action Plan will consider legal rather than voluntary standards.

The UK is working with G7 partners to identify the outline of a proposed voluntary Standards Based Market to ensure the secure supply of responsibly produced critical minerals. We expect G7 Energy Ministers will discuss a clear articulation of this outline in late October. The UK's priority is to ensure that critical mineral markets operate in accordance with relevant international law and to standards that are rigorous and context sensitive.