Written question asked by Alexander Stafford (Conservative) on Friday, 4 June 2021, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 8 June 2021. It was answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan (Conservative) on Monday, 14 June 2021 on behalf of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

Minerals: Supply Chains

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the role of assured data in mineral supply chains including in (a) specific commodities, (b) trade corridors, and (c) benefit generation.

Answer: The Government understands the importance of technology-critical minerals and metals supply chains to the economy, as well as the importance of the role of technology (including distributed ledger technology), data and collaborative ventures in the supply chains for these vital materials. This close interest extends across Whitehall and so a range of input is needed to provide a holistic understanding of resilience issues across Departments. We are working towards a single Government vision in this crucial area, and our priority is to enable effective inter-departmental collaboration to drive unified and coordinated Government action to support this sector.

Secondary information