§ Mr. Sayeedasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what arrangements have been made to monitor the various freeport experiments.
§ Mr. HayhoeHer Majesty's Treasury has commissioned Roger Tym & Partners (in association with Arthur Young McClelland Moores & Co., and the Marine Transport Centre, University of Liverpool) to undertake a five-year research study to enable an initial evaluation of the various freeport experiments which I announced on 2 February 1984 at column 411. The results of this research will assist in the reviews of designation of individual freeports, but the contractor will not, however, be asked to advise directly on continuation or otherwise of designation.
The primary purpose of the research is to assess, for each of the designated freeports,
- (i) its financial success to date, and viability;
- (ii) how much change in the level of activity in the port or airport has occurred, and to judge how much of this is due to the freeport; and
- (iii) whether freeport designation is causing any significant disbenefits elsewhere.
In addition, an assessment is required of:
- (iv) how the freeport has developed and performed in comparison with original projections;
- (v) which freeport features have proved most attractive to users;
- (vi) what problems have arisen.