Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment his Department has made of trends in the level of the cost of imports via shipping containers.

My Department is closely monitoring the sector, with Other Government Departments. Shipping costs during 2021 have risen to a global high level in international freight markets as a result of unprecedented levels of demand driven by changed consumer behaviour during the pandemic.

Historical trends in the shipping sector shows pricing responds to supply and demand. Although industry estimates that high levels of demand and pricing are likely to continue throughout 2021, it is expected that pricing levels should similarly re-adjust when the current demand drivers change.