VerbatimParliament, as it happens

DRIVE35 Programme: Minerals

Asked by Perran MoonLabourDepartment for Business and TradeTabled Answered 2 September 2025UIN 70239

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of using spending allocated to the DRIVE35 programme for the domestic critical minerals industry.

Answered by Sarah Jones

DRIVE35 builds on the Advanced Propulsion Centre R&D programmes and the Automotive Transformation Fund. These programmes have funded a number of critical mineral projects that are strengthening the UK’s zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) supply chains, from lithium refinery Green Lithium to battery recycler Altilium.

DRIVE35 will continue to support the latest R&D, accelerate commercial scale-up, and unlock capital investment in ZEV technologies, including their upstream supply chain which can include critical minerals projects.

Verbatim has judged this answer against the question that was actually asked — answered, partly answered, or evaded. Sign in to see the verdict →

Open this question in Verbatim →

Every written question, searchable

155,000 questions tabled since the election, with the answer each department gave — and the ones still unanswered, with the clock running. Free to search.

Search written questions →Read on Verbatim