Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what specific changes have been made to the criteria for assessing freeport bids to take account of the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on (a) the economy and (b) employment.

Specific locations were chosen in a fair, open and transparent allocation process, as set out in the Bidding Prospectus.

The Ministry for Housing, Communities & Local Government will shortly publish the rationale behind the selection of these Freeport locations according to the process laid out in the Prospectus.