Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the importance of identifying sources of critical minerals as a domain of strategic competition.

The government recognises that identifying sources of critical minerals is of growing strategic importance, as reflected in the UK’s Industrial and National Security Strategies published this year. According to estimates from the International Energy Agency, global demand for critical minerals for clean energy is set to quadruple by 2040. Securing resilient supplies is essential for economic growth, national security, and the clean energy transition. The government will launch a new Critical Minerals Strategy this year, working with industry and international partners to ensure the UK remains competitive. This will build on the Critical Minerals Intelligence Centre’s updated Criticality Assessment for the UK published last year.