Asked by: Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat - Maidenhead)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what volume of each mineral listed on the UK Critical Minerals List was imported in (a) 2023, (b) 2024 and (c) 2025, broken down by country of origin.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Please see table below, derived from HMRC’s Import data by preference bulk dataset, using trade codes as published in the technical annex of the UK’s Critical Minerals Strategy. Countries of origin have been grouped into EU and non-EU for legibility.
Volumes of each critical and growth mineral imported into the UK, tonnes, 2023-25, broken down by those sourced from EU and non-EU countries.
Mineral | Origin | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
Aluminium | EU | 492,570 | 468,461 | 468,440 |
non-EU | 387,774 | 420,020 | 426,726 | |
Antimony | EU | 878 | 851 | 576 |
non-EU | 367 | 309 | 162 | |
Beryllium | EU | 0 | 1 | 0 |
non-EU | 28 | 1 | 1 | |
Bismuth | EU | 19 | 44 | 28 |
non-EU | 257 | 143 | 110 | |
Borates | EU | 46 | 151 | 97 |
non-EU | 8,424 | 9,156 | 10,618 | |
Chromium | EU | 11,836 | 9,464 | 11,403 |
non-EU | 59,035 | 67,607 | 52,355 | |
Cobalt | EU | 1,725 | 1,681 | 1,420 |
non-EU | 3,937 | 8,400 | 9,653 | |
Copper | EU | 166,698 | 186,974 | 152,677 |
non-EU | 61,131 | 67,136 | 70,161 | |
Gallium | EU | 0 | 0 | 0 |
non-EU | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
Germanium | EU | 0 | 1 | 2 |
non-EU | 2 | 5 | 1 | |
Graphite | EU | 5,130 | 4,378 | 4,696 |
non-EU | 27,894 | 28,901 | 30,261 | |
Hafnium | EU | 7 | 5 | 16 |
non-EU | 11 | 16 | 39 | |
Helium | EU | 1,218 | 1,121 | 740 |
non-EU | 2,537 | 1,927 | 2,619 | |
Indium | EU | 2 | 1 | 0 |
non-EU | 6 | 2 | 7 | |
Iridium & Ruthenium | EU | 1 | 1 | 1 |
non-EU | 2 | 2 | 2 | |
Iron | EU | 2,308,785 | 2,461,616 | 1,977,632 |
non-EU | 6,673,773 | 3,083,542 | 2,799,234 | |
Lithium | EU | 86 | 94 | 94 |
non-EU | 3,326 | 3,175 | 2,629 | |
Magnesite | EU | 20,296 | 18,790 | 24,737 |
non-EU | 20,995 | 24,602 | 21,282 | |
Magnesium | EU | 37,614 | 37,639 | 33,385 |
non-EU | 29,196 | 27,195 | 36,932 | |
Manganese | EU | 2,536 | 4,709 | 4,333 |
non-EU | 45,494 | 39,504 | 38,948 | |
Nickel | EU | 29,236 | 34,844 | 22,551 |
non-EU | 81,725 | 106,772 | 89,104 | |
Niobium | EU | 158 | 88 | 17 |
non-EU | 796 | 634 | 443 | |
Phosphates | EU | 94,984 | 92,078 | 86,741 |
non-EU | 158,713 | 144,112 | 170,832 | |
Platinum | EU | 1,888 | 2,095 | 2,703 |
non-EU | 290 | 362 | 865 | |
Rare Earth Elements | EU | 344 | 421 | 1,115 |
non-EU | 1,396 | 1,504 | 1,289 | |
Rhenium | EU | 1 | 1 | 4 |
non-EU | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
Rhodium | EU | 2 | 2 | 2 |
non-EU | 3 | 3 | 3 | |
Silicon | EU | 49,192 | 68,729 | 45,208 |
non-EU | 71,052 | 98,374 | 102,744 | |
Sodium | EU | 4,875 | 5,903 | 4,303 |
non-EU | 8,695 | 6,798 | 7,141 | |
Tantalum | EU | 57 | 26 | 27 |
non-EU | 152 | 126 | 197 | |
Tellurium | EU | 3 | 5 | 2 |
non-EU | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Tin | EU | 625 | 693 | 757 |
non-EU | 4,281 | 4,935 | 5,235 | |
Titanium | EU | 8,207 | 6,502 | 4,314 |
non-EU | 193,758 | 247,719 | 151,547 | |
Tungsten | EU | 416 | 471 | 334 |
non-EU | 682 | 638 | 920 | |
Uranium | EU | 11 | 13 | 1,846 |
non-EU | 100 | 7 | 32 | |
Vanadium | EU | 296 | 257 | 253 |
non-EU | 173 | 140 | 244 | |
Zinc | EU | 4,846 | 7,069 | 7,115 |
non-EU | 15,140 | 16,372 | 15,894 |
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the recent announcement of changes to steel safeguard measures due to take effect on 1 July 2026, what assessment he has made of the availability of specialist steel grades and alloys that are not currently produced in the UK; what categories of steel products will remain exempt from the revised quotas and tariffs; and whether he plans to introduce further exemptions where no domestic alternative exists.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The new steel trade measure has been designed to strike a careful balance between supporting domestic steelmaking and maintaining secure, reliable supply for downstream users, including the makeup and length of the transitional arrangement to ease short term impacts. It is not possible to give an estimate of the volume and value of steel subject to contractual commitments before 14 March 2026 given that information is held by individual businesses. However, our measure design has been informed by last year’s Call for Evidence which attracted 100 responses from industry.
The measure has also been designed to only cover steel requirements that can be met in the UK. Where this is not feasible for technical reasons, for example where product codes contain both steel products that can be made in the UK and products that cannot be made, quotas sizes are being set with the aim of allowing continued availability of goods to UK downstream users without unnecessary additional costs. We will continue to monitor the impact of the measure and review it after 12 months to ensure the balance is right between producers and downstream users.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what estimate he has made of the volume and value of steel imports that were subject to contractual commitments before the announcement of revised safeguard measures on 14 March 2026; what transitional arrangements will apply to such contracts after 1 July 2026; and whether he will consider extending the implementation period to avoid financial penalties for businesses that entered into agreements before the policy was announced.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The new steel trade measure has been designed to strike a careful balance between supporting domestic steelmaking and maintaining secure, reliable supply for downstream users, including the makeup and length of the transitional arrangement to ease short term impacts. It is not possible to give an estimate of the volume and value of steel subject to contractual commitments before 14 March 2026 given that information is held by individual businesses. However, our measure design has been informed by last year’s Call for Evidence which attracted 100 responses from industry.
The measure has also been designed to only cover steel requirements that can be met in the UK. Where this is not feasible for technical reasons, for example where product codes contain both steel products that can be made in the UK and products that cannot be made, quotas sizes are being set with the aim of allowing continued availability of goods to UK downstream users without unnecessary additional costs. We will continue to monitor the impact of the measure and review it after 12 months to ensure the balance is right between producers and downstream users.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions he has had with his Cabinet colleagues about the potential merits of a Commonwealth first approach to a) trade and b) economic growth.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The UK’s Trade Strategy sets out the Government’s approach to maximising trade opportunities in support of growth and economic security.
The UK already has formal trade arrangements with the vast majority of Commonwealth members. This includes through FTAs such as Australia, New Zealand and India, membership of the CPTPP, Economic Partnership Agreements and the UK’s Developing Countries Trading Scheme.
The UK supplements this through direct funding, including on developing a Commonwealth Standards Network, facilitating investment for climate positive businesses and supporting the integration and participation of Small States and Developing Countries in the global trading system.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
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 benefits of a 'Commonwealth first' approach to trade; and what steps he is taking to develop such an approach.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The UK’s Trade Strategy sets out the Government’s approach to maximising trade opportunities in support of growth and economic security.
The UK already has formal trade arrangements with the vast majority of Commonwealth members. This includes through FTAs such as Australia, New Zealand and India, membership of the CPTPP, Economic Partnership Agreements and the UK’s Developing Countries Trading Scheme.
The UK supplements this through direct funding, including on developing a Commonwealth Standards Network, facilitating investment for climate positive businesses and supporting the integration and participation of Small States and Developing Countries in the global trading system.
Asked by: Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat - Maidenhead)
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 adequacy of the notice period provided to businesses in the advanced manufacturing supply chain ahead of the introduction of tariffs on imported steel grades under the UK Steel and Trade Measures.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government held extensive engagement with both primary steel producers and downstream users to inform development of the trade measure, including a Call for Evidence in July 2025.
To ease short-term impacts, we are introducing a transitional arrangement under which the new measure would not apply to goods agreed under contract before 14 March 2026 and imported between 1 July and 30 September 2026.
We will continue engaging regularly with companies across the supply chain, including those in the advanced manufacturing sector, and will monitor implementation of the measure ahead of a full review of the measure after 12 months.
Asked by: Michael Wheeler (Labour - Worsley and Eccles)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to his Department’s consultation document entitled Make Work Pay: ending one-sided flexibility – reforms of zero hours and similar contracts, published on 2 June 2026, how many meetings with businesses his department had during the drafting of the consultation.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Ministers and officials have engaged extensively with business, trade unions and representative organisations on the zero hours measures in the Employment Rights Act 2025, informing the development of the consultation.
We have held over 17 meetings with businesses on these measures and over 11 meetings with trade unions, alongside wider engagement on Make Work Pay, and continue to meet regularly with business representative organisations and trade unions.
Asked by: Jonathan Davies (Labour - Mid Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what support his Department is offering to protect businesses from tariffs where it is not possible to source steel products domestically in the context of the Steel Trade Measures.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The measure has been designed to strike a balance between securing domestic steelmaking while maintaining secure supply for downstream users.
It is designed to only cover requirements that can be met in the UK. Where not feasible for technical reasons, quotas have been designed to allow for sufficient imports to be available to downstream users.
To ease short-term impacts, we are introducing a transitional arrangement under which the new measure would not apply to goods agreed under contract before 14 March 2026 and imported between 1 July and 30 September 2026. Further details are available on GOV.UK.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what consultation was undertaken with downstream steel-using industries before the decision to reduce tariff-free steel import quotas and increase safeguard tariffs from 1 July 2026; whether a full economic impact assessment was produced; and if he will publish any analysis of the expected effects on manufacturing output, business investment and employment.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government held extensive consultations with both primary steel producers and downstream users to inform development of the trade measure, including a Call for Evidence in July 2025. We will continue engaging regularly with companies across the supply chain, through Ministerial and official level engagement, and will monitor implementation of the measure. This includes conducting a review after 12 months to ensure it remains effective and that the balance is right for both producers and downstream users.
Asked by: Shivani Raja (Conservative - Leicester East)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment the Government has made of the potential impact of differential per capita funding levels between devolved and non-devolved regions on small and medium-sized enterprises considering business location decisions.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government’s Industrial Strategy sets out a long-term plan to support growth across the UK. Delivering the Industrial Strategy, regulatory reform and other steps will help to ensure the UK remains competitive, delivers long-term sustainable growth and that its economic fundamentals remain strong.
To assist all Growth Hubs in long-term planning, we will establish indicative multi- year core funding budgets for 2026-29 and provide flexibility to accommodate local government reorganisation. This funding will form part of the Integrated Settlement in Established Mayoral Strategic Authorities, per our commitment in the English Devolution White Paper.