April 2022
Price: £95 PLUS VAT
Format: DOWNLOADABLE PDF
This conference examined next steps for freeports and green freeports in the UK.
It was an opportunity to assess key issues and next steps for development, with the UK Government naming eight English freeports, the recent announcement of two new green freeports in Scotland, and with speculation surrounding an imminent decision on a Welsh freeport too.
Sessions in the agenda looked at:
- implementation - progress, priorities, and next steps
- development - key lessons so far, governance, accountability, regeneration and tackling regional disparities
- achieving benefits - growth opportunities, safeguards, and long-term economic impact
- wider issues - technology, innovation, modernisation, and minimising commerce and supply chain friction
- UK Government policy priorities - including the potential role of freeports in the levelling up programme and tackling regional inequalities
- devolved government priorities - caveats and key issues, and prospects for UK-wide cooperation
- case study - Port of Antwerp: a different perspective
We were pleased to be able to include keynote contributions from: Ivan McKee MSP, Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism and Enterprise, Scottish Government (pre-recorded remarks); Iain Stewart MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Minister for Scotland, Scotland Office; Justin Atkin, Representative UK & Ireland, Port of Antwerp; Managing Director, Ragged Edge Consulting; and Non-Executive Director, Portico Shipping; and Richard Ballantyne, Chief Executive, British Ports Association. Further speakers represent: the Tees Valley Combined Authority; the UK Major Ports Group; Mott Macdonald; Addleshaw Goddard; AECOM; Atkins; Logistics UK; Transport for the North; the TUC; and the University of Cambridge.
The conference was an opportunity for stakeholders to consider the issues alongside key policy officials attended from BEIS; HMRC; HM Treasury; DfT; Defra; DLUHC; the Cities & Local Growth Unit; the DIT; the DCMS; ORR; DAERA, NI; the Department for the Economy, NI; FSA; the GLD; the Home Office; IPO; MCA; the Border Force; UKSA; VOA; and the Welsh Government - as well as parliamentary pass-holders from the House of Commons.
