Metals

(asked on 4th June 2019) - View Source

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent assessment he has made of the security of supply of (a) the rare earths neodymium and dysprosium and (b) tellurium.


Answered by
Andrew Stephenson Portrait
Andrew Stephenson
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
This question was answered on 12th June 2019

The Department has not made any formal assessment of the security of supply of rare earth elements. However, neodymium and dysprosium are included on the EU’s list of critical raw materials, because of their high economic importance and high supply risk. Tellurium is not on that list, but the Government is aware of its scarcity and importance to manufacturing of alloys and some electronic equipment.

We enjoy strong relationships with a huge range of companies and business representatives and through those conversations we have not been made aware of any specific concerns regarding the supply of these materials.

I can also confirm that I have not held specific conversations with any country regarding rare earth elements. However, the UK Government’s long-held approach to ensuring sufficient supply of materials is through lobbying for free, fair and open global markets. As my rt. hon Friend the Prime Minister has stated, we want to ensure that we promote the greatest possible trade with the world.

Through our day-to-day contacts with industry, we will continue to monitor the situation.

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