Commons Sense

House of Commons · Westminster Hall

Ports (Forth and Clyde) — [Ms Nusrat Ghani in the Chair]

07 June 2022 · 1 other contributor · 3,440 words

Opened by Kenny MacAskill Alba East Lothian

Responding minister: Iain Stewart

EconomyTransportBusiness & Trade

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Kenny MacAskill raised concerns about ports (forth and clyde) — [ms nusrat ghani in the chair] in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.

Key points

  • Mr Kenny MacAskill expresses concern over foreign ownership of key Scottish ports, highlighting the economic impact on local communities.
  • Mr MacAskill cites specific cargo tonnage figures to illustrate the disparity in trade volumes between Scottish ports and those in England.
  • The minister emphasizes the importance of ports for global goods exports and outlines the UK's ambition to thrive as a maritime leader through regulatory reform.

Key requests to Government

Mr MacAskill calls for action from the UK Government to break up these monopolies through the Competition and Markets Authority or by pursuing compulsory purchase or creation of new ports by the Scottish Government.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Kenny MacAskill Alba East Lothian

Mr Kenny MacAskill is concerned about the ownership and regulation of ports on the Forth and Clyde, particularly highlighting that these ports are owned by foreign entities such as the Canadian Public Sector Pension Investment Board for the Forth Ports and Peel Ports plc in Manchester for Clydeports. He mentions specific statistics: 16 million tonnes of cargo from Tilbury compared to 9 million tonnes from Grangemouth; and 31 million tonnes of trade at Mersey, 9 million tonnes at Medway, leaving the Clyde trailing at under 7 million tonnes. These foreign owners focus their operations outside Scotland, harming local communities and the national economy.

Other contributors (1)
  • Angela Crawley Labour Co-op Dunfermline and West Fife

    The closure of the Kincardine ferry crossing poses significant challenges to communities, including increased costs for local businesses and residents.

Government Response

Iain Stewart

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship for the first time, Ms Ghani—a very great honour. I congratulate the hon. Member for East Lothian on securing the debate and address why I take a different view from his rather gloomy picture of ports and the wider maritime sector in Scotland. Ports are vital for global goods exports; we expect trade volumes to treble by 2050, supporting our ports' growth through regulatory reform. The UK aims to thrive as a world-leading maritime nation, driving up exports and creating high-paying jobs, especially in coastal communities. Investments will go into Greenock to upgrade ocean liner facilities for international and domestic cruises. Significant shipbuilding capacity remains in Scotland, with £4 billion of Government spend over the next three years on shipbuilding across the UK. The Type 26 and Type 31 frigates are building jobs sustainably. Freeports will bring regeneration, high-quality jobs, and support for transitioning to a net zero economy. The consultation on repealing EU port services regulation offers an opportunity to review its appropriateness for the competitive UK ports sector.

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