Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the increase in demand for critical minerals used in net zero technologies on the critical minerals supply chain.

The Government is committed to building resilience and security into UK supply chains for critical minerals. Our recent support for Pensana’s plans to build the UK’s first rare earths refinery in Yorkshire, and Green Lithium’s refinery project in Teesside, shows our intent to put our Critical Minerals Strategy into action.

We are launching an independent Task & Finish Group to investigate UK industry's critical mineral needs – now and in future – across various sectors, including those making net zero technologies, as well as opportunities for industry to promote resilience in its supply chains.