Committee publication · Correspondence · 23 June 2026
Letter to the Minister for Industry relating to a request for further information as part of the Committee's inquiry on critical minerals, 1 June 2026
From: Business and Trade Sub-Committee on Economic Security, Arms and Export Controls
Inquiry: Critical minerals
Summary
The Business and Trade Sub-Committee on Economic Security, Arms and Export Controls writes to the Minister for Industry requesting detailed follow-up information on the Government's critical minerals strategy. The letter seeks clarification on lithium demand projections, bilateral agreements, sector-specific resilience assessments, domestic mining and refining opportunities, funding allocations, and supply chain diversification initiatives.
Key findings
- Discrepancy in the critical minerals strategy: two conflicting figures cited for 2035 lithium demand (399,200 tonnes vs 339,200 tonnes) requiring clarification
- Request for comprehensive list of UK critical minerals memoranda of understanding, bilateral dialogues, and supply chain resilience partnerships
- Committee seeks evidence of Government resilience assessments for IS-8 sectors and associated investment plans to address supply chain gaps
- Minister committed to providing assessment of UK domestic opportunities in mining, refining, and recycling; Committee now requests specific projects and Government delivery plans
- Query on £50 million critical minerals funding package allocation, distribution criteria, and timing of publication; separate inquiry into strategy for minerals (graphite, gallium) that cannot be supplied domestically
Tone
ProceduralTopics
Key actors
Liam Byrne MP, Chris McDonald, Business and Trade Sub-Committee on Economic Security, Arms and Export Controls, Department for Business and Trade
Notable line
“The critical minerals strategy provides two figures for projected 2035 lithium demand, 399,200 tonnes and 339,200 tonnes. Which one is the accurate figure?”
Key Quotes
“I write to seek information on some other points necessary for us to produce a comprehensive and accurate report.”
“You identified tin, tungsten, lithium, copper recycling and aluminium recycling as areas where the UK has a realistic opportunity to build scale”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗