WELSH secretary Simon Hart has accused the Welsh Government of “dragging its feet” over new freeport opportunities.

Speaking in the House of Commons this week, Mr Hart said: “Local authorities are keen on this initiative, port authorities are keen on them, they can produce up to 15,000 jobs so it is disappointing that the Welsh Government seems to be still dragging its feet around this and allowing this initiative to flourish everywhere else other than Wales – and that’s costing jobs and livelihoods.”

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Geraint Davies, Labour MP for Swansea West, warned a freeport at Liverpool will “sap and displace” trade, investment and jobs from Holyhead and North Wales, as he asked for Wales to receive its “fair share” of funding.

“Liverpool will get £26 million of investment whereas in Wales we’re only being offered £8 million for one UK freeport, either in North or South Wales,” he said.

Mr Hart said that he best way of avoiding that outcome "is for the Welsh Government to get behind the scheme, support a project which is endorsed by local authorities and port authorities in Wales, and encourage jobs and livelihoods that way.

“But every day they leave it, on the basis of this ‘not invented here syndrome’, it is going to cost jobs and livelihoods. My message to (Mr Davies) is get hold of the Welsh Government and encourage them to come to the party.”

This article originally appeared on the Argus' sister website The National.