The Government has established a Metals Circularity Group, working collaboratively with industry and expert stakeholders, alongside the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, the Ministry of Defence, and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. This will examine scrap supply and trends across steel, aluminium and critical minerals, and to consider whether further policy or regulatory measures are needed.

Further to the answer provided on 11 June in response to Question 7960, the Foreign Secretary met her Irish counterpart on 22 June, and discussed the efforts both countries are making to support Ukraine, and maximise pressure on Russia's war economy.

The UK remains committed to working closely with allies and partners around the world, including the EU and other European partners, to amplify the impact and strength of our sanctions, and economic pressure on Russia.

The UK and Irish governments regularly discuss our staunch support for countering Russia's aggression in Ukraine, including international efforts to maximise pressure on the Russian war economy. We conduct similar conversations with the EU on a regular basis. We keep all options to put pressure on the Russian war economy under regular review.

The UK and Irish governments regularly discuss our staunch support for countering Russia's aggression in Ukraine, including international efforts to maximise pressure on the Russian war economy. We conduct similar conversations with the EU on a regular basis. We keep all options to put pressure on the Russian war economy under regular review.

Energy policy is devolved in Northern Ireland, with the Northern Ireland Executive responsible for its own policy decisions.

We trade electricity between Great Britain and the Single Electricity Market on the Island of Ireland over interconnectors. Interconnector flows are driven by relative market prices, with trades occurring anonymously at the market level, not specific to an energy user such as the Aughinish Alumina plant. The Government has therefore not assessed flows to individual sites.

Interconnectors support our energy security by providing access to a more diverse pool of generation and enhancing our security of supply.

Energy policy is devolved in Northern Ireland, with the Northern Ireland Executive responsible for its own policy decisions.

We trade electricity between Great Britain and the Single Electricity Market on the Island of Ireland over interconnectors. Interconnector flows are driven by relative market prices, with trades occurring anonymously at the market level, not specific to an energy user such as the Aughinish Alumina plant. The Government has therefore not assessed flows to individual sites.

Interconnectors support our energy security by providing access to a more diverse pool of generation and enhancing our security of supply.

The Government recognises the impact that industrial electricity prices have on UK aluminium production. We engage regularly with the industry and monitor evidence on the impact of energy costs.

The sector is eligible to receive support through the British Industry Supercharger, which cuts electricity costs for around 550 of the most electricity-intensive businesses across Great Britain. The Network Charging Compensation scheme, one element of the Supercharger, was uplifted from 60% to 90% relief from 1 April 2026. The Supercharger now reduces electricity costs by approximately £65-87 per megawatt hour, bringing costs for recipients closer in line with those in competitor countries.

The Department continues to engage closely with businesses and representative bodies across the aluminium sector, which provide insight into the challenges facing the industry. As is standard practice, we do not publish details of individual companies involved.

The UK Critical Minerals Strategy focuses on strengthening domestic capability and resilient supply chains for key materials, including aluminium. The Government recognises the importance of domestic recycling of aluminium and will consider industry recommendations for government action through the newly formed Metals Circularity Group.

In 2023 there were 109,638 tonnes of waste packaging aluminium reported to the Environment Agency as being exported from England via the Packaging Export Recovery Note system. In 2024 there were 105,821 tonnes reported, in 2025 there were 103,888 tonnes reported.

This total includes waste packaging aluminium, as opposed to just aluminium cans, as figures are recorded by material rather than packaging types.

The Department for Business and Trade has not made a formal assessment of the potential impact of these EU measures on the UK's aluminium recycling industry. We are closely monitoring this through ongoing industry engagement and expect to consider this further through the Business Secretary’s Industry Engagement Forum and the scrap metal working group announced in the Steel Strategy, which will also cover aluminium.

The EU is not currently enforcing aluminium export restrictions. The proposed new measures focus on restricting the export of aluminium scrap, rather than primary aluminium, with the aim of supporting domestic industry, decarbonisation, and circular‑economy objectives.

The Secretary of State for Business and Trade is closely monitoring the potential impact of the disruption to trade and supply chains on the UK economy as a result of the conflict in the Middle East. Businesses impacted such as those in the aluminium industry, are encouraged to continue sharing intelligence regarding the ongoing challenges to help inform the Government's response.

Any impact strengthens the imperative of the UK Critical Minerals Strategy, with its key objectives of optimising domestic production while building resilient UK and global supply networks across critical minerals, including aluminium.

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is responsible for the collection and publication of data on imports and exports of goods to and from the UK.

HMRC releases this information monthly, as an Accredited National Statistic called the Overseas Trade in Goods Statistics (OTS), which is available via their dedicated website (www.uktradeinfo.com). From this website, it is possible to build your own data tables based upon bespoke search criteria. You can build tables, using the commodity codes published in the UK Trade Tariff. Aluminium is classified in Chapter 76 of the tariff.

The website will give information on value, amounts and the countries involved, however recycled aluminium does not have a dedicated commodity code.

If you need help or support in constructing a table from the data on uktradeinfo, please contact uktradeinfo@hmrc.gov.uk.

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is responsible for the collection and publication of data on imports and exports of goods to and from the UK.

HMRC releases this information monthly, as an Accredited National Statistic called the Overseas Trade in Goods Statistics (OTS), which is available via their dedicated website (www.uktradeinfo.com). From this website, it is possible to build your own data tables based upon bespoke search criteria. You can build tables, using the commodity codes published in the UK Trade Tariff at https://www.gov.uk/trade-tariff. Aluminium is classified in Chapter 76 of the tariff.

The website will give information on value, amounts and the countries where the aluminium was sent. HMRC do not record the reason for export. Any applicable duties for the relevant commodity codes can also be found in the tariff.

If you need help or support in constructing a table from the data on uktradeinfo, please contact uktradeinfo@hmrc.gov.uk.

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is responsible for the collection and publication of data on imports and exports of goods to and from the UK.

HMRC releases this information monthly, as an Accredited National Statistic called the Overseas Trade in Goods Statistics (OTS), which is available via their dedicated website (www.uktradeinfo.com). From this website, it is possible to build your own data tables based upon bespoke search criteria. You can build tables, using the commodity codes published in the UK Trade Tariff. Waste aluminium is classified in section 7602 of the tariff.

The website will give information on value, amounts and the countries where the aluminium was sent. HMRC do not record the reason for export. If you need help or support in constructing a table from the data on uktradeinfo, please contact uktradeinfo@hmrc.gov.uk.

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is responsible for the collection and publication of data on imports and exports of goods to and from the UK.

HMRC releases this information monthly, as an Accredited National Statistic called the Overseas Trade in Goods Statistics (OTS), which is available via their dedicated website (www.uktradeinfo.com). From this website, it is possible to build your own data tables based upon bespoke search criteria. You can build tables, using the commodity codes published in the UK Trade Tariff. Aluminium is classified in Chapter 76 of the tariff.

The website will give information on value, amounts and the countries involved. However, it will not identify imports by individual importers, whether by companies or government department. This would be in conflict with Section 18 of the Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act 2005 (CRCA). CRCA restricts the information that HMRC may disclose publicly on persons making imports and exports. HMRC do publish a database of UK traders. This provides registered business names and addresses and when they have traded in specific goods with EU and non-EU countries. You can use this to look for traders who have imported aluminium, where they have permitted HMRC to publish their details.

If you need help or support in constructing a table from the data on uktradeinfo, please contact uktradeinfo@hmrc.gov.uk.