Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the level of rare earth elements, other mining products and logging products from Myanmar in the UK supply chain; and what steps they are taking to reduce the environmental and human rights damage associated with such extraction, in particular through diplomacy, official development assistance and other routes.

Our Overseas Business Risk Guidance makes clear that UK businesses procuring natural resources in Myanmar should conduct thorough supply chain due diligence to ensure that their intended activities do not contravene sanctions prohibitions and restrictions and that they are not supporting the military regime or its associated businesses. The guidance also advises businesses operating in Myanmar to comply with standards of responsible business conduct, including respecting human rights. The UK has sanctioned State Owned Entities involved in extractive industries in Myanmar, namely Myanmar Mining Enterprise 1 and 2 and the Myanmar Timber Enterprise.