To ask the Minister for Infrastructure whether she will explore designation of the area in the vicinity of Foyle Port as an Enterprise Zone.

Whilst my Department has the power to designate Enterprise Zones under The Enterprise Zones (NI) Order 1981, the post project evaluation of such designations, here and in Britain in the 1980s and 1990s, found only limited success and that it was an ineffective policy that merely displaced business activity, and also resulted in poor quality development.

You will be aware of the British Government’s recent consultation on free-ports. Officials from my Department, the Departments for the Economy and Finance have been engaged with HM Treasury to inform the development of a ‘Freeports’ policy. The Department of Finance (DoF) is the lead Department in NI and, once the policy has been fully developed and agreed, there will be a competitive process to award Freeport status.

I am committed to continuing to work with my Executive colleagues to explore the possible establishment of a Freeport in the North and will continue to provide support to our ports at this unprecedented time.