Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what discussions he has had with the Chinese authorities on rare earth imports into the UK.

[101057]

Mark Prisk MP; Minister of State for Business and Enterprise: Trade is a European Union competence and all negotiations are undertaken by the European Commission on behalf of the member states. For this reason, Ministers in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills have had no direct discussions with the Chinese authorities on the substance of this issue.