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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to English Freeports selection decision-making note, updated 17 March 2021, what assessment he has made of the effect on skills and jobs, (a) within each of the eight regions in which a freeport was designated and (b) on (i) towns, (ii) cities, and (iii) other employment centres within that region which were not included within the successful Freeport bid.

Freeports will be national hubs for international trade, innovation and commerce, regenerating communities across the UK by attracting new businesses, spreading jobs, investment and opportunity to towns and cities up and down the country.

They will bring together ports, local authorities, businesses and other key local stakeholders to achieve a common goal of shared prosperity and opportunity for their regions. Our focus is on encouraging new investment to create new businesses and new economic activity. This will create jobs in deprived communities across the country.