Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department plans to develop a national strategy to secure aluminium as a critical raw material for the economy.

Building on the UK Critical Minerals Intelligence Centre’s updated 2024 criticality assessment in which aluminium was designated a critical mineral due to supply chain risks and economic vulnerability, the Government has been working with industry to publish a new Critical Minerals Strategy this year. This will focus on securing vital materials for economic growth, national security, and the clean energy transition. The Strategy will refine our approach to domestic production and target UK strengths to support business resilience.