Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Climate Change – in the Senedd at 1:42 pm on 18 May 2022.
Thank you so much, Presiding Officer. Deputy Minister, the announcement last week that the UK and Welsh Governments have reached an agreement to establish a new free port in Wales is hugely exciting. This multimillion-pound agreement has the potential to deliver thousands of local jobs, driving innovation and boosting business investment, bringing benefits and opportunities to communities that need it the most. Both Governments have agreed that they would be prepared to consider the case for a further additional free port in Wales if a truly exceptional proposal were presented at the bidding stage. What discussions have you had, Deputy Minister, with ministerial colleagues and interested parties about encouraging bids for free-port status, and what support are you personally providing to ensure that these bids are of the best possible quality so that Wales derives the maximum benefit from this £26 million-investment of UK Government funding? Thank you.