Former business secretary backs green freeport bid

A former business secretary has backed a bid for a green freeport in the North East of Scotland.

Andrea Leadsom told a cross-party group of MPs on Wednesday that she supported the North East becoming one of the two areas in the country to claim the status.

In a joint project between the Scottish and UK governments, regions designated as green freeports will be able to offer special tax incentives and lower tariffs in a bid to boost trade.

Five different areas in Scotland applied for the status – with bidding closing last month – including the greater Glasgow area.

Ms Leadsom highlighted the opportunities for growth in the push to reduce carbon emissions and meet government-set environmental targets.

“The green economy is a massive story of growth and opportunity. You’ll have apprenticeships, people transitioning from offshore oil rigs to offshore wind farms and skilled engineers retraining,” she said.

“Hydrogen and carbon capture are mission critical if we are to decarbonise by 2050, which we will do. With brilliant business people and entrepreneurs like you, replicated around the UK, we can actually get there much sooner,” she added.

“Government needs to get out of the way, it should facilitate and push for things to happen, create the freeports and all the incentives they offer but then get out of the way and let business deliver.”

Banff and Buchan MP David Duguid – a former Scotland Office minister – also talked up the bid.

“A freeport in the North East would harness the power of our region’s workforce, create thousands of jobs and grow our established and emerging sectors,” he said, at the event held by the group behind the North East bid for a freeport.