English Freeports

Monday 20th March 2023 Written Statements

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (Dehenna Davison)]

Today I have the pleasure of announcing that the Thames freeport has received final Government approval, in a massive boost to south Essex and the wider region. This is a pivotal landmark for the programme and it comes less than four months after I announced the first group to receive approval. The speed of progress sends a clear message: the Government are backing these areas to grow and thrive.

Freeports form an important part of this Government’s economic strategy and will catalyse investment through a combination of tax reliefs, public funding, and Government support. These measures will drive growth, create jobs and, in turn, transform opportunities for local communities—a real example of levelling up in action.

The Thames freeport will now receive up to £25 million in seed funding and potentially hundreds of millions in locally retained business rates to upgrade local infrastructure and stimulate regeneration. This is alongside generous tax reliefs and a simplified customs procedure, all backed by a package of trade and innovation support for businesses located there.

Armed with these tools, the Thames freeport will drive investment in and around the ports of south Essex and Ford’s world-class Dagenham engine plant. This will bring jobs of the future—in sectors such as advanced manufacturing and hydrogen—to local communities.

And this is only the beginning. Across Government, we are working closely with the English freeports to support them to achieve their objectives and deliver transformational benefits for their local areas.

We also recently announced two successful green freeports in Scotland and we will be announcing the outcome of the Welsh competition shortly. Discussions continue with our stakeholders in Northern Ireland about how we can extend the benefits associated with the freeport programme there.

This is an incredibly exciting time for UK freeports and the wider levelling-up agenda as we start to see local areas bring their plans to life with big private investments, upgrades to local infrastructure, and bold regeneration initiatives in those areas that need a boost, creating real impacts for local people.

[HCWS653]