We have been tracking the UK Free Ports programme for some considerable time and since the announcement of the successful award of Free Port status to the eight English Ports, we have engaged with all of them.  Our offering is based on an end-to-end security solution and delivered through a consortium that we have built and in which we have four UK businesses and one US business.  

Given perceived slippage on the delivery timeline, with the programme planned to complete by the end of next year, we have engaged with Central Government and await a full discussion at the end of the summer recess.  The programme as we see it, is a critical part of the build back better and levelling up initiative being driven by the Government and is under severe stress which we are seeking to understand, together with mitigation plans.