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Minerals: Imports

Asked by Callum AndersonLabourDepartment for Business and TradeTabled Answered 3 July 2026UIN 12931

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the level of the UK’s dependency on imports of strategically important critical minerals.

Answered by Chris McDonald

The 2025 Critical Minerals Strategy sets out the UK’s approach to securing supplies of minerals essential to advanced manufacturing, clean energy, defence, and digital sectors. In 2025, the UK imported £13.4 billion of critical minerals and their derivatives. The Department is actively assessing the UK’s dependency on imported critical minerals and is working with industry and international partners to diversify supply and strengthen resilience.

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