Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the English Freeports selection decision-making note, updated 17 March 2021, which aspects of the Teesside Freeport bid's alignment with Government policy, in respect of (i) the Net Zero agenda and (ii) the Prime Minister’s recently published 10 Point Plan, (a) formed part of the decision-making process, and (b) how that alignment was quantified; and whether he will make a statement.

The Freeports Bidding Prospectus set out a fair, open and transparent assessment process to select Freeport locations in England, informed by relevant experts across Government to ensure objective and robust assessment. The English Freeport Selection Decision-Making Note clearly outlines how decisions on the successful freeport locations, announced at Budget, were made. Unsuccessful bidders were offered feedback calls with officials to discuss the assessment of bids in more depth.