Asked by: Perran Moon (Labour - Camborne and Redruth)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to help increase the production of cathode active materials for use in the (a) critical minerals and (b) battery supply chain.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Our vision is to achieve a domestic battery supply chain by 2030 by accelerating the growth of domestic capabilities, collaborating with international partners, and enhancing international markets. The UK National Wealth Fund (NWF) announced in January an investment of £28m in Cornish Metals. This recognises the crucial role of a domestic supply of raw materials for electric vehicles and other technologies in the nation's transition to net zero.
We are also working on regulatory levers to incentivise reuse, repurposing, and recycling infrastructure for all battery chemistry types, including lithium-based technologies.
Asked by: Perran Moon (Labour - Camborne and Redruth)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the future level of skills needed to attract and train young people in the responsible extraction and recycling of critical minerals in the UK.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
In February, the Critical Minerals Association, in partnership with the Department for Business and Trade, will host a workshop focusing on the challenges and opportunities in developing skills for critical mineral domestic midstream and recycling capabilities. The workshop will bring together stakeholders from across the UK critical minerals value chain to identify actionable recommendations for how the government can best support skills and development.
Skills England refers to critical minerals in its September 2024 report ‘Driving growth and widening opportunities’, where it highlights the need for physical scientists and engineers to support the UK’s clean energy sectors. In the report, Skills England also commits to providing an authoritative assessment of skills needs, gathering insights from sector stakeholders including employers, sector-owning departments, and unions. This will inform priorities for technical education funding and decision-making. In November, Skills England undertook extensive engagement with over 700 stakeholders including employers in manufacturing and clean energy industries.
There is a range of skills products which help meet the skills needs of critical minerals industries, including apprenticeships and higher education courses. These include, for instance, degree apprenticeships in mine management and geoscience, as well as the level 2 material processing plant operator apprenticeship, which can be used for mining activities. The Camborne School of Mining also offers the UK’s only Bachelor of Engineering in mining engineering.
Asked by: Perran Moon (Labour - Camborne and Redruth)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent discussions he has had with OFGEM on funding for shared ground loops under the Energy Company Obligation Scheme.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
There is provision within the rules of ECO4 for shared ground loops to be delivered. ECO4 is not funded by government. Rather, the government requires energy suppliers to deliver energy efficiency measures to eligible households. The energy suppliers fund those measures and recoup the costs from their customers’ energy bills.
Asked by: Perran Moon (Labour - Camborne and Redruth)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of approving Givinostat for use to treat Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy in (a) Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust and (b) other NHS trusts.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) makes recommendations for the National Health Service on whether new licensed medicines should be routinely funded by the NHS independently based on an assessment of their costs and benefits. The NHS in England is legally required to fund medicines recommended by NICE, normally within three months of the publication of final guidance. NICE is currently evaluating givinostat for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy and its Appraisal Committee will meet to consider its recommendations in May 2025.
Ahead of NICE’s evaluation, ITF Pharma UK, the United Kingdom’s marketing authorisation holder for givinostat, is providing access to givinostat through a type of compassionate use scheme called an Early Access Programme (EAP). Under the EAP, givinostat is free to both patients taking part in it and to the NHS, but the trusts must still cover the cost of administering it to patients. Only Duchenne muscular dystrophy clinicians can make requests for givinostat for their patients. Decisions are made on a case-by-case basis for individual named patients aligned to eligibility criteria.
Asked by: Perran Moon (Labour - Camborne and Redruth)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department plans to amend the chemical classification assessments for (a) lithium carbonate, (b) lithium hydroxide, and (c) lithium chloride products.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
These three lithium substances (lithium carbonate, lithium hydroxide and lithium chloride) do not currently have mandatory classification and labelling in Great Britain (GB). Health and Safety Executive (HSE) specialists are considering the need to evaluate the available data using the Article 37A process under the GB Classification, Labelling and Packaging Regulation following publication of the Agency Opinion by HSE in August 2023 to determine whether mandatory classification and labelling is warranted.
Asked by: Perran Moon (Labour - Camborne and Redruth)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of re-allocating a proportion of the National Wealth Fund for a new mineral exploration fund.
Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The National Wealth Fund (NWF) is a publicly owned investor which provides a range of financing tools across the capital structure, including loans, guarantees and equity investments for projects which align with its mandate.
The NWF’s investment decisions are based on the Investment Principles set out in its Framework Document. Investments from the NWF focus on areas where an undersupply of private finance exists. It targets opportunities to crowd-in three times as much private capital as its own investment committed across its portfolio. Allocating grants is not within the remit of the NWF.
Earmarking investment amounts for certain sectors is not within the remit of the NWF either. Maintaining a broad balance sheet, allows the NWF to remain flexible and adapt to market requirements.
The critical minerals sector is a key market for the NWF, as seen with its equity investments in Cornish Lithium, and in Cornish Metals.
Asked by: Perran Moon (Labour - Camborne and Redruth)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a scrappage scheme for older higher polluting vehicles.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government is committed to cleaning up our air and protecting the public from the harms of pollution. We review the various policy levers available to us on an ongoing basis.
Asked by: Perran Moon (Labour - Camborne and Redruth)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she plans to take to help increase the (a) production and (b) programming of Cornish language content.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government wants broadcasters to commission content in every part of the country and for British storytelling to reflect the full diversity of people, communities and experiences across the UK so that more people can see themselves reflected on screen and as part of our national story.
The Media Act makes clear in legislation the importance of the UK's indigenous regional and minority languages - including Cornish - by including their provision in the public service remit for television.
The BBC additionally has an obligation to reflect, represent and serve the diverse communities of all the UK’s nations and regions, set out in its current Royal Charter.
The forthcoming Charter Review is a key opportunity to set the BBC up for success long into the future. It will look at a range of issues and, as a priority for this Government, will start a national conversation to make sure the BBC truly represents and delivers for every person in this country.
Asked by: Perran Moon (Labour - Camborne and Redruth)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress she has made on the development of a standardised tender structure for local authorities to submit to charge point operators for public access electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department provides significant support to local authorities under the Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund, including resource funding which can support procurement, alongside central procurement advice through the LEVI Support Body.
The Department has also been working with the Crown Commercial Service to assist local authorities with their procurement. This includes developing a suite of customisable procurement documents, which have been shared with the industry and local authorities for feedback and are now being finalised.
Asked by: Perran Moon (Labour - Camborne and Redruth)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of amending the classifications of waste to help ensure that critical minerals in (a) used batteries and (b) other e-waste are used as (i) feedstock for connected and automated mobility research and development and (ii) other (A) recycling and (B) circular economy projects.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We will consider the evidence for action right across the economy and evaluate what further interventions may be needed in the Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment (WEEE) sector as we develop a Circular Economy Strategy for England.