Asked by: Tessa Munt (Liberal Democrat - Wells and Mendip Hills)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many metric tonnes of processed aluminium were imported into the UK in each of last recorded five years; from which countries and in what quantities that processed aluminium was imported; and what information her Department holds on (a) how much was spent on purchasing and (b) which companies and government departments were the primary purchasers of processed aluminium in each of the last five years.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is responsible for the collection and publication of data on imports and exports of goods to and from the UK.
HMRC releases this information monthly, as an Accredited National Statistic called the Overseas Trade in Goods Statistics (OTS), which is available via their dedicated website (www.uktradeinfo.com). From this website, it is possible to build your own data tables based upon bespoke search criteria. You can build tables, using the commodity codes published in the UK Trade Tariff. Aluminium is classified in Chapter 76 of the tariff.
The website will give information on value, amounts and the countries involved. However, it will not identify imports by individual importers, whether by companies or government department. This would be in conflict with Section 18 of the Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act 2005 (CRCA). CRCA restricts the information that HMRC may disclose publicly on persons making imports and exports. HMRC do publish a database of UK traders. This provides registered business names and addresses and when they have traded in specific goods with EU and non-EU countries. You can use this to look for traders who have imported aluminium, where they have permitted HMRC to publish their details.
If you need help or support in constructing a table from the data on uktradeinfo, please contact uktradeinfo@hmrc.gov.uk.
Asked by: Tessa Munt (Liberal Democrat - Wells and Mendip Hills)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many metric tonnes of aluminium were exported from the UK for recycling in each of the last five years; to which countries was that aluminium exported; in what quantities was it exported; and how much income to the Exchequer was generated from the sale of that aluminium in each of the last five years.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is responsible for the collection and publication of data on imports and exports of goods to and from the UK.
HMRC releases this information monthly, as an Accredited National Statistic called the Overseas Trade in Goods Statistics (OTS), which is available via their dedicated website (www.uktradeinfo.com). From this website, it is possible to build your own data tables based upon bespoke search criteria. You can build tables, using the commodity codes published in the UK Trade Tariff at https://www.gov.uk/trade-tariff. Aluminium is classified in Chapter 76 of the tariff.
The website will give information on value, amounts and the countries where the aluminium was sent. HMRC do not record the reason for export. Any applicable duties for the relevant commodity codes can also be found in the tariff.
If you need help or support in constructing a table from the data on uktradeinfo, please contact uktradeinfo@hmrc.gov.uk.
Asked by: Tessa Munt (Liberal Democrat - Wells and Mendip Hills)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in the context of the development of the Circular Economy Growth Plan, whether her Department holds data on (a) how many metric tonnes of waste aluminium were exported from the UK for recycling in each of the last recorded five years; (b) to which countries was that waste aluminium exported and in what quantities; (c) how much revenue was generated from the sale of that waste aluminium in each of the last recorded five years.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is responsible for the collection and publication of data on imports and exports of goods to and from the UK.
HMRC releases this information monthly, as an Accredited National Statistic called the Overseas Trade in Goods Statistics (OTS), which is available via their dedicated website (www.uktradeinfo.com). From this website, it is possible to build your own data tables based upon bespoke search criteria. You can build tables, using the commodity codes published in the UK Trade Tariff. Waste aluminium is classified in section 7602 of the tariff.
The website will give information on value, amounts and the countries where the aluminium was sent. HMRC do not record the reason for export. If you need help or support in constructing a table from the data on uktradeinfo, please contact uktradeinfo@hmrc.gov.uk.
Asked by: Tessa Munt (Liberal Democrat - Wells and Mendip Hills)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in the context of the development of the Circular Economy Growth Plan, whether her Department holds data on (a) how many metric tonnes of recycled aluminium were imported into the UK in each of the last recorded five years;(b) from which countries did the UK import that recycled aluminium; and (c) what was the financial cost of purchasing that recycled aluminium in each of the last recorded five years.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is responsible for the collection and publication of data on imports and exports of goods to and from the UK.
HMRC releases this information monthly, as an Accredited National Statistic called the Overseas Trade in Goods Statistics (OTS), which is available via their dedicated website (www.uktradeinfo.com). From this website, it is possible to build your own data tables based upon bespoke search criteria. You can build tables, using the commodity codes published in the UK Trade Tariff. Aluminium is classified in Chapter 76 of the tariff.
The website will give information on value, amounts and the countries involved, however recycled aluminium does not have a dedicated commodity code.
If you need help or support in constructing a table from the data on uktradeinfo, please contact uktradeinfo@hmrc.gov.uk.
Asked by: Tessa Munt (Liberal Democrat - Wells and Mendip Hills)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 12 February 2026 to Question 111664, how many individual receiving sites have failed to supply the required post-shipment Annex VII information.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Of the 50 approved receiving sites, the Environment Agency (EA) has post shipment information outstanding beyond the eight-week deadline from 16 sites.
Exporters have informed the EA that shipments are not arriving at the intended destination within eight weeks' notice period which is why the post-shipment information is delayed. Delays at Indian Customs, container handling sites and onwards transport have been cited as reasons. The EA is now considering extending this time period to ensure it is achievable.
It is the responsibility of the exporter rather than the receiving site to provide the required information to the Environment Agency.
The EA has issued 14 warnings on exporters who have failed to provide the required information
Asked by: Tessa Munt (Liberal Democrat - Wells and Mendip Hills)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Answer of 12 February 2026 to Question 111664, how many exporters or brokers who have failed to provide the required post-shipment Annex VII information have been suspended from making further shipments or issued with stop notices to prevent the risk of further non-compliant exports.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Environment Agency (EA) is yet to suspend or issue a prohibition (stop) notice on any exporters or brokers who have failed to provide post shipment information.
It has issued 14 warnings on exporters who have failed to provide the required information and is closely monitoring the returns.
The EA is assessing the feasibility of responding within 8-weeks as evidence from exporters is highlighting delays beyond their control.
Asked by: Tessa Munt (Liberal Democrat - Wells and Mendip Hills)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Answer of 12 February to Question 111664, how many individual receiving sites that have failed to supply the post-shipment Annex VII information required have been suspended from receiving future consignments.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Environment Agency (EA) is yet to remove sites from its acknowledged list to prevent them from receiving future consignments. At this point there is no evidence to show that any receiving sites are deliberately not supplying the information needed to exporter which would be grounds for their removal.
The Waste Shipment Regulations put legal duties on the exporter. The EA will therefore focus its regulatory efforts on the exporter rather than the receiving site.
Asked by: Tessa Munt (Liberal Democrat - Wells and Mendip Hills)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Answer of 4 February 2026 to Question 109797, how many of the 3, 442 documents for which an Annex VII was submitted between 28 October 2025 and 2 February 2026 (a) have now passed the eight week deadline and (b) of that number, how many have not supplied sufficient geo-tagged photographic information proving arrival at their intended destination.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Of the 3442 annex VII documents referenced (now revised to 3281 following further data assurance) 1,891 have reached the eight-week deadline. Annex VII forms submitted after the 15 December 2025 are not yet due.
Of these 1891, 1,370 have not been returned with the post-shipment information required, including geotagged photographs.
521 Annex VII forms were returned. 458 met the requirements, including geotagged photos, 63 did not. The Environment Agency (EA) is actively pursuing the remaining returns of the outstanding Annex VII and those who are non-compliant. Further actions may include prohibiting further shipments and/or enforcement.
The EA is continuing to assure the data that is received so there may be further amendments in the final figures.
Asked by: Tessa Munt (Liberal Democrat - Wells and Mendip Hills)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, further to her answer to Question 106499 of 22 January 2026, how many of the 1,891 consignments for which an Annex VII was submitted (a) have passed the eight-week deadline and (b) are now overdue on their completion of proof of destination.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Of the 1,891 pre-shipment Annex VII forms referenced, 1,370 were not returned with the arrival information within the eight-week deadline.
Exporters have reported delays arising from customs processes, onward collection from ports and transport issues following arrival in India. The Environment Agency is actively pursuing the remaining returns of the outstanding Annex VII and those who are non-compliant. Further actions may include prohibiting further shipments and/or enforcement.
Asked by: Tessa Munt (Liberal Democrat - Wells and Mendip Hills)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what is his Department's policy on the recycling of aluminium in the UK.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The UK 2024 Criticality Assessment, commissioned by the Department for Business and Trade, recognises aluminium as a critical mineral essential to the UK’s green energy transition.
The Government recognises the importance of scrap metals, including aluminium. As we develop the Circular Economy Growth Plan, we will consider the evidence for action right across the economy and evaluate what interventions may be needed.