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Written question asked by Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat) on Friday, 13 June 2025, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 17 June 2025. It was answered by Alex Norris (Labour) on Monday, 23 June 2025 on behalf of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Freeports and Special Economic Zones: Job Creation

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what the target number of jobs was for UK (a) freeports and (b) special economic zones; and how many jobs UK (i) freeports and (ii) special economic zones have delivered to date.

Answer

As policies developed in partnership with local partners, MHCLG has not set specific targets for job creation in Freeports, nor in Investment Zones, its other major economic zone policy.

However, Freeports have set out the economic impacts they expect to deliver through business cases, available on Freeports’ websites once approved by government. MHCLG-commissioned analysis projects that the 8 English Freeports alone will directly create 60,000 additional jobs and will support another 42,000 jobs across the supply chain. Local partners expect that Investment Zones across the UK will create over 90,000 jobs over the life cycle of the programme.

The Department will track job creation by Freeports and Investment Zones, as a key indicator of their economic impact. To date, Freeports have attracted £6.4 billion in private investment, which is expected to create at least 7,200 jobs.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
59850
Session
2024-26
Transferred
Yes
Subjects
Job creation Freeports Special economic zones
Contains statistics
Yes
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk