To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the resilience of supply chains for memory components used in artificial intelligence computing.

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the resilience of supply chains for memory components used in artificial intelligence computing.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 5 June 2026 to Question 3329 on Electric Vehicles: Grants, what estimate she has made of the proportion of grant-supported vehicle components that originate from UK-based supply chains.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 5 June 2026 to Question 3329 on Electric Vehicles: Grants, what estimate she has made of the proportion of grant-supported vehicle components that originate from UK-based supply chains.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if his Department will conduct an investigation into whether Watchkeeper drone components are being exported from the UK to Israel to support drone exports to Romania.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if his Department will conduct an investigation into whether Watchkeeper drone components are being exported from the UK to Israel to support drone exports to Romania.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if his Department will conduct an investigation into whether Watchkeeper drone components are being exported from the UK to Israel to support drone exports to Romania.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if his Department will conduct an investigation into whether Watchkeeper drone components are being exported from the UK to Israel to support drone exports to Romania.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to address delays in importing elevator parts to the UK.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to address delays in importing elevator parts to the UK.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to improve elevator part manufacturing levels in the UK.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to improve elevator part manufacturing levels in the UK.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to help increase domestic manufacturing capacity in (a) grid components, (b) pharmaceuticals, (c) advanced materials and (d) other essential sectors.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to help increase domestic manufacturing capacity in (a) grid components, (b) pharmaceuticals, (c) advanced materials and (d) other essential sectors.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that UK-made weapons components are not used in violations of international humanitarian law by allied states.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that UK-made weapons components are not used in violations of international humanitarian law by allied states.

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To ask His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the extent to which British military equipment contains components made in China or is reliant on rare earth minerals from China.

To ask His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the extent to which British military equipment contains components made in China or is reliant on rare earth minerals from China.

My Lords, the Government and the Ministry of Defence welcome foreign trade where it allows us to provide our Armed Forces with the equipment they require, but the Government will not compromise our national security or our stringent legal and regulatory requirements or conflict with the objectives of our defence industrial strategy. The Government are working at pace to diversify the UK critical mineral supply chain and reduce reliance on any single source.

My Lords, the Government and the Ministry of Defence welcome foreign trade where it allows us to provide our Armed Forces with the equipment they require, but the Government will not compromise our national security or our stringent legal and regulatory requirements or conflict with the objectives of our defence industrial strategy. The Government are working at pace to diversify the UK critical mineral supply chain and reduce reliance on any single source.

My Lords, the chilling reality is that we are living in an age of cyber and data espionage and sabotage, whether from the use of SIMs, cellular IoT modules and everyday domestic components or wilfully directed malign activity by agencies hostile to western values and the UK. Can the Minister confirm to this House in more detail what protective measures the MoD is urgently deploying in respect of our defence supply chain to avoid our defence capability being unacceptably compromised?

My Lords, the chilling reality is that we are living in an age of cyber and data espionage and sabotage, whether from the use of SIMs, cellular IoT modules and everyday domestic components or wilfully directed malign activity by agencies hostile to western values and the UK. Can the Minister confirm to this House in more detail what protective measures the MoD is urgently deploying in respect of our defence supply chain to avoid our defence capability being unacceptably compromised?

The Government introduced a new critical minerals strategy—which is part of what the noble Baroness is asking about—that set an ambition for 2035 to reduce our reliance, and we are engaging with our partners on this. We also signed an MoU on critical minerals in Washington DC. She asked me specifically about the approach of the MoD. The MoD is working hard to think about ways of stockpiling

critical components and critical minerals for the UK defence sector and to improve recycling and the circular economy. I want to stress the recognition of the point that the noble Baroness makes and the need for a much wider approach, as identified in the strategic defence review and the national security strategy. We do not in any way underestimate the persistent challenges in this space, and we will do all in our power to use the powers we have to deal with them.

The Government introduced a new critical minerals strategy—which is part of what the noble Baroness is asking about—that set an ambition for 2035 to reduce our reliance, and we are engaging with our partners on this. We also signed an MoU on critical minerals in Washington DC. She asked me specifically about the approach of the MoD. The MoD is working hard to think about ways of stockpiling

critical components and critical minerals for the UK defence sector and to improve recycling and the circular economy. I want to stress the recognition of the point that the noble Baroness makes and the need for a much wider approach, as identified in the strategic defence review and the national security strategy. We do not in any way underestimate the persistent challenges in this space, and we will do all in our power to use the powers we have to deal with them.

My Lords, a typical high-end, Chinese-made electric and semi-autonomous vehicle will have up to a dozen cameras, radars and laser sensors collecting images of everything around it. Cyber security is at best opaque, and a Norwegian researcher recently reported that 90% of the data that was collected by his car was sent back to China. What is the Government’s view on visitors with Chinese cars coming to MoD sites? You would not allow someone from the People’s Liberation Army to stand there with a video camera, and you would not allow a drone to fly over your site. But how do you monitor, police, and manage foreign Chinese cars coming on and off MoD facilities?

My Lords, a typical high-end, Chinese-made electric and semi-autonomous vehicle will have up to a dozen cameras, radars and laser sensors collecting images of everything around it. Cyber security is at best opaque, and a Norwegian researcher recently reported that 90% of the data that was collected by his car was sent back to China. What is the Government’s view on visitors with Chinese cars coming to MoD sites? You would not allow someone from the People’s Liberation Army to stand there with a video camera, and you would not allow a drone to fly over your site. But how do you monitor, police, and manage foreign Chinese cars coming on and off MoD facilities?

The first thing I should say is that we focus on all vehicles coming to MoD sites, not just Chinese vehicles. All modern electric vehicles have surveillance components which we should be careful about, so I want to be completely clear with the noble Lord and the House that that is our approach. With regard to the question he asked, however, we are aware that individual defence organisations may have stricter requirements relating to electric vehicles on some sites, but, obviously, we do not provide specific details for security reasons, as I am sure the noble Lord will understand. We have made a lot of progress since the previous Administration instructed all government departments to cease deployment of surveillance equipment. My right honourable friend the National Security Minister made it clear in November 2025 that all sensitive government sites originally identified with such equipment—that is CCTV equipment manufactured in China—have now finished their replacement work.

The first thing I should say is that we focus on all vehicles coming to MoD sites, not just Chinese vehicles. All modern electric vehicles have surveillance components which we should be careful about, so I want to be completely clear with the noble Lord and the House that that is our approach. With regard to the question he asked, however, we are aware that individual defence organisations may have stricter requirements relating to electric vehicles on some sites, but, obviously, we do not provide specific details for security reasons, as I am sure the noble Lord will understand. We have made a lot of progress since the previous Administration instructed all government departments to cease deployment of surveillance equipment. My right honourable friend the National Security Minister made it clear in November 2025 that all sensitive government sites originally identified with such equipment—that is CCTV equipment manufactured in China—have now finished their replacement work.

My Lords, the Minister will be aware that China has systematically and strategically got a grip and a monopoly on the refining of critical minerals. The effect of that has been demonstrated only this week, where China has cut off Japan from critical minerals over a political issue. First, what help are we and our allies giving to Japan in this important crisis? Secondly, what are we going to be doing in the future in order to secure our own supply chain to make sure we do not suffer from this dependence on China?

My Lords, the Minister will be aware that China has systematically and strategically got a grip and a monopoly on the refining of critical minerals. The effect of that has been demonstrated only this week, where China has cut off Japan from critical minerals over a political issue. First, what help are we and our allies giving to Japan in this important crisis? Secondly, what are we going to be doing in the future in order to secure our own supply chain to make sure we do not suffer from this dependence on China?