Potential national security risks have been raised with the Government over the employment of a number of Russian and Belarusian workers at the Woodsmith mine in North Yorkshire.

Lord Ben Houchen has expressed alarm at reports of workers from sanctioned states coming to the UK to do shifts at the site, a few miles from GCHQ Scarborough.

In a leaked letter, seen by The Yorkshire Post, the Conservative Tees Valley Mayor urged Ministers to pay "careful examination" to claims that "some members of this team openly express anti‑Western and pro‑Russian views, including admiration for the Russian military". Sources said they were concerned they would be military trained, with Anglo American saying it is often standard for people to undergo military training in their home countries.

At least one Russian employee is believed to have worked for the former Soviet Union’s ministry of power, according to his LinkedIn profile.

FILE PIC REDCAR, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 27: Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen speaks to stake holders during a ceremony to mark the ground-breaking of the Net Zero Teesside project on September 27, 2023 in Redcar, England.

placeholder image — FILE PIC REDCAR, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 27: Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen speaks to stake holders during a ceremony to mark the ground-breaking of the Net Zero Teesside project on September 27, 2023 in Redcar, England.

The multinational confirmed that around 50 Russians, Belarusian, and Ukrainians are part of the workforce involved in shaft sinking. It said they pay UK tax and there have been no complaints raised "to any of the Anglo American team about pro-Russian propaganda or any of the other issues you mention".

The letter to Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, said: "Local intelligence suggests that workers from Belarus and neighbouring regions are rotating in and out of the site, with travel and other arrangements reportedly facilitated by the main contractor, Redpath Construction.

"If earnings are being remitted back into Belarus, this could fall within the remit of the UK’s sanctions legislation.

"I would therefore be grateful for urgent confirmation of whether these arrangements are compliant, and what enforcement powers may be engaged if not.

"Alongside sanctions concerns, Woodsmith Mine sits within a short distance of GCHQ’s major signals intelligence site in North Yorkshire.

"Given the sensitivity and strategic importance of the nearby GCHQ operation, I believe this warrants careful examination by the relevant authorities."

Lord Houchen said in his letter it was "troubling" to see foreign labour brought in while hundreds of British workers have been laid off.

He urged the government to "engage directly" with the company to establish the full facts.

Anglo American said the majority of job losses took place by the end of 2024 and since then the workforce had been largely stable at around 1,100. Of the workforce, 75% was local, with less than 10% from overseas with the shaft sinking and tunnelling skills “that enable us to develop the project safely and efficiently”.

The project had added £1.8 billion to the size of the regional economy, since construction started.

The company spokesperson said there had been no complaints had been raised to Anglo American to investigate workers over potential links to the Russian government.

They have an anonymous whistleblowing and reporting line for employees to raise concerns “and nothing of this nature has been reported or investigated”.