To ask the Minister of Finance (i) to detail any discussions he has had with the Westminster government regarding the establishment of freeports in Northern Ireland; and (ii) for his assessment of where and how freeports would best benefit Northern Ireland.

I have written to the Chief Secretary to the Treasury (CST) twice in recent months, including jointly with Ministers from Scotland and Wales, to press for a fair funding and incentive package if a Freeport is to be established here in the North. I have also requested, on both occasions, a meeting to discuss this matter further. My officials have also engaged with Whitehall officials on this issue.

To date I have not received a response from the CST. Until there is clarity on a potential Freeport package, it is not possible to properly assess where a Freeport could usefully be established here, nor the potential economic benefits that it could bring to the North.