Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the possible scope of any exemption for UK competitive ports from the proposed European Port Services Regulations.

The Government intends to apply on behalf of the whole UK ports industry for exemption from the utilities and concessions Directives, which would also encompass relevant provisions of the port services Regulation, assuming that this is eventually adopted containing such provisions along the lines that are included in the Council General Approach text that was agreed on 8 October.