Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to ensure that customs controls are proportionate to the volume and risk of activities in Freeports.

Freeports will provide customs benefits including simplified processes and access to a range of customs duty benefits, alongside wider advantages.

Operators of Freeport customs sites will need to be authorised. Part of the authorisation process includes demonstrating to HMRC that the operator has control over the movement of goods and access of people in and out of the customs site. This is to ensure the UK’s customs controls are in place over goods within a Freeport customs site or under a Freeports customs procedure.