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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to diversify rare earth mineral supply chains away from China.

The Government published the Critical Minerals Strategy in July, which sets out plans to improve the resilience of critical minerals supply chains by boosting domestic capability, enhancing global markets, and playing a leading role in solving global challenges with our international partners.

The Government is committed to building domestic critical mineral supply chains, for example, by supporting UK-based rare earths developer Pensana’s new rare earth magnet materials refinery in Yorkshire. Earlier this year, the UK signed up to the Minerals Security Partnership alongside ten other likeminded partners to support the development of diverse supply chains.