Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of data from FourKites, reported in The Daily Telegraph on 28 February, which found that shippers spent an average of more than seven days discharging at British ports compared to a European average of five days; and what assessment they have made of the reason for this difference.

The pandemic has provided a challenging period for international and domestic freight movements due to the uncertainly in markets and supply chains. This has impacted on freight operations in the UK, Europe and globally as operators dynamically adjust to the prevailing worldwide conditions. This may have contributed to the factors being reported by FourKites over the last year, however it is too early to assess whether this indicates any broader trend. Government is closely engaged with shipping lines and ports to monitor sector developments.