North Wales opportunities could be lost due to freeport delays
Ynys Môn MP Virginia Crosbie has told MPs the island needs the investment and jobs a Freeport would bring otherwise young people will continue to leave to find work elsewhere.
Speaking in the Finance Bill debate yesterday, Virginia said she was concerned that, unless the Welsh Government started the Freeport bidding process, North Wales would lose out to English ports that are further ahead in the process.
“Unfortunately, despite all the good reasons I have for bringing a Freeport to Anglesey, the Welsh bidding process has not yet started,” she told the House of Commons.
“The Welsh First Minister has cited concerns about economic displacement, but my biggest concern is the economic displacement that will occur when trade that could have come to Anglesey goes instead to one of the eight English Freeports announced in the Chancellor’s Budget. Ports such as Liverpool are already six months ahead of us in this process.
“After almost two decades of disinvestment under the Welsh Labour Government, Ynys Môn’s gross value added is now among the lowest in the UK.
“With large employers such as Anglesey Aluminium and Rehau closing down, it is highly dependent on seasonal tourism. Our island haemorrhages young people every year because there are no quality jobs for them locally. What better place for the Government to use their Freeport model to create jobs and opportunity? How better to show levelling up at its most effective?”
