Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of (a) the importance of Welsh ports to the UK economy and (b) the role of Welsh ports in the Maritime 2050 strategy.

No specific assessment of the importance of ports in Wales to the UK economy has been made by the Government. However, the UK’s ports, including those in Wales, play a vital role in our economy, acting as key facilitators for trade and economic activity. Around 95% of British imports and exports in goods are moved by sea. A 2015 study by the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) commissioned by Maritime UK, estimated that the Welsh maritime sector directly supported just under £940 million in domestic revenue, £330 million in GVA and 5,960 jobs in Wales. These figures illustrate the important contribution of Wales to the UK maritime sector.

The Maritime 2050 strategy was developed through a wide ranging, extensive programme of evidence gathering and engagement across the UK. Although UK ports policy is a devolved matter in Wales apart from the Port of Milford Haven, in recognition of the extensive maritime interests in Wales, the Welsh Government and other maritime stakeholders were fully engaged in the development of Maritime 2050.