Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made as to the potential merits of designating Northern Ireland as a freeport.

We want to ensure that the whole of the UK can benefit. We continue to work with the Northern Ireland Executive to establish a Freeport in Northern Ireland as soon as possible.

Our priority is to ensure we design a Freeport model which meets our international legal obligations and provides an attractive and competitive offer for ports, businesses and communities in Northern Ireland.