Written question asked by Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat) on Tuesday, 29 April 2025, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 1 May 2025. It was answered by Stephen Doughty (Labour) on Thursday, 8 May 2025 on behalf of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Metals: Imports

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what proportion of (a) lithium, (b) nickel, (c) cobalt, (d) manganese and (e) graphite imports come from mining operations that commit human rights violations.

Answer: The UK is committed to promoting responsible business practice to reduce and prevent human rights violations. We work through a number of international mechanisms to deliver on this, including supporting the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Mineral Supply Chains which enables business to continue to operate responsibly from conflict-affected and high-risk areas. The UK's new Critical Minerals Strategy will help secure the supply of critical minerals vital for the UK's economic growth and clean energy transition, promoting responsible and transparent supply chains.

Secondary information