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

To ask Her Majesty's Government when they decided to establish Southampton as a freeport whether they had any discussions with AB Ports regarding the powers and charges of Harbour Revision Orders relating to users of the harbour waters.

Freeports were selected through an open and transparent process based on consideration of the criteria in the Freeports Bidding Prospectus [https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/freeports-bidding-prospectus] and in accordance with the Freeports Decision-Making Note [https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/freeports-bidding-prospectus/english-freeports-selection-decision-making-note].

Harbour Revision Orders (HRO) (which is a devolved process handled by the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) for English ports) can be used to alter a range of port powers. Any initial discussions regarding a possible HRO would take place with the MMO initially, with other departments only becoming involved at the consultation stage of the order.