Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether funding has been allocated for any infrastructure costs associated with the roll out of free ports in the UK.

The UK Government plans to establish Freeports across the UK as soon as possible. These will be national hubs for trade, innovation and commerce, regenerating communities across the UK. Freeports will spread jobs, investment and opportunity to towns and cities up and down the country by unleashing the economic potential of our ports.

In the UK Government’s recently published consultation response, we outlined that the Freeports model on offer will provide some seed capital from the UK Government to address infrastructure constraints relevant to Freeports and their surrounding area. This would apply in England only, or where decisions are not devolved. Further details will be included in the Bidding Prospectus, which will be published in due course.

Where policies are devolved, as in Scotland, the implementation and design of Freeports, including any infrastructure funding, will be a matter for each devolved administration to decide upon - although the UK Government will provide any assistance necessary if requested. The UK Government continues to work collaboratively and openly with the devolved administration in Scotland to deliver at least one Freeport in Scotland as soon as possible.