8. Debate on the Economy, Infrastructure and Skills Committee report: Enterprise Zones: boldly going?

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:30 pm on 11 July 2018.

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Photo of Adam Price Adam Price Plaid Cymru 5:30, 11 July 2018

Thinking particularly about a post-Brexit scenario, it was very interesting the evidence that we heard from the chair of the Haven Waterway zone talking about the potential with regard to free ports and free economic zones, because that, actually, is a policy idea where there is strong evidence globally that it works. It's much more specific than the broad-brush enterprise zone idea. Particularly, whatever happens over the next few days and weeks, if we do end up in a crash-out 'no deal' situation, then, actually, free ports could be a very, very important tool for many parts of Wales, some of which are covered by the enterprise zones. It would mitigate some of the worst economic damage that we could face.

So, I would urge the Welsh Government to look proactively at this. Several mayors of the north of England have developed detailed proposals for free ports. They're lobbying the UK Government very actively, and the Cabinet Secretary has said in evidence to the External Affairs and Additional Legislation Committee, if there was a designation by the UK Government, then Wales should get its fair share. We need to do better than that. We need to actually be developing the business cases now. And, of course, free ports could include airports—it could include Cardiff Airport, it could include Airbus, of course, where we could designate the Airbus site in Broughton as having its own free port. It has the airport, of course, which it uses to transport its wings to Toulouse. Designating the Airbus site as a free port could actually be a means of dealing with any economic damage as a result of policies from the UK Government.