Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. On 23 March, the Welsh Government and the UK Government jointly announced that the Celtic free port and the porthladd rhydd Ynys Môn Anglesey free port will proceed to the next stage of the Welsh free-ports programme process. This outcome was reached through a transparent and competitive application process, with selection being jointly undertaken by both the Welsh Government and the UK Government.

I am pleased that our negotiations secured the important conditions set out by the Welsh Government. We were clear that free ports in Wales must enjoy funding parity with successful bids in England, that the process must be advanced across a partnership of equals where devolution was respected, and that the prospectus provided protections on our priorities of fair work, sustainability and our net-zero future. Dirprwy Lywydd, we also worked to make the case for an additional free port, securing the opportunity for a strong bid to win designation beyond the initial offer from the UK Government of one site. And I believe it was right for Welsh Ministers to hold to those conditions to ensure fair funding for Welsh free ports, clarity on governance, as well as progress on social and environmental justice. I welcome the positive moves made in response to me by the UK Government to recognise the significance of these matters. I'm also grateful for the work undertaken by officials in both Governments that has allowed us to reach this positive outcome. 

The strength of the bids was aided by an agreement between both Governments that led to the joint prospectus and a clear path for businesses and communities to plan against. The First Minister has called again for the UK Government to learn from this positive and constructive process. It offered a level of clarity that is badly needed at a time of such economic uncertainty.

Dirprwy Lywydd, both the Celtic and the Ynys Môn bids are clearly aligned to our economic mission and have the potential to play a key role in creating a stronger, fairer, greener Welsh economy. The Welsh model that we have developed for free ports will ensure that Wales is not set at a disadvantage as compared to English and Scottish sites as they move ahead. At the same time, it should bolster our long-term investments across both sites. 

The Celtic free port will be based around the port of Port Talbot and the port of Milford Haven. I was in Port Talbot yesterday, in the Deputy Presiding Officer's constituency—I understand he won't be asking questions today from the chair—and the plans there focus on low-carbon technologies, such as floating offshore wind, hydrogen, carbon capture and utilisation, and storage, and biofuels to help support the accelerated reduction of carbon emissions. The Welsh Government has already intervened to support the proposed tax sites of Pembrokeshire Science and Technology Park and the Baglan Energy Park because we recognise the long-term role that these assets will play in supporting high-quality jobs.

The Anglesey free port will be based around the port of Holyhead, the Anglesey prosperity zone, Rhosgoch and M-Sparc. The free port will develop the energy island programme by focusing on marine energy technology testing on the seabed—that's both tidal and wind power. The bid focuses on Morlais and M-Sparc as innovation priorities, both of which, of course, have been backed by major investment from the Welsh Government in recent years.

Dirprwy Lywydd, these are not fly-by-night projects based on low-value rental income. The bids demonstrate how the model we have developed in Wales will add to, rather than take away from, the long-term plans we are building for a just transition that delivers the jobs dividend that Wales deserves.

I'm very pleased that both bids demonstrated sufficiently strong cases that allowed Ministers here in the Welsh Government and in Westminster to designate two free ports for Wales to proceed to the next stage. Both bids provided a compelling narrative of how they intend to boost the distinct strengths that both sites boast, harnessing the unique opportunities from offshore wind and marine energy to advanced manufacturing and innovation. With sites in north and south Wales, progressing two free ports is a real win for Wales and, indeed, the whole of UK, with the opportunities for regeneration, the embedding of fair work, the establishment of hubs for global trade, and fostering an innovative environment to be felt in both north and south of our country.

Each free port would be supported by up to £26 million of seed investment funding. That's confirmed parity with England free-port sites. Each site would be able to access a range of customs benefits and tax reliefs. The next phase is an important one, with the development of an outline business case that, again, must be agreed again by both Governments. A package of trade and innovation support will also be available to each free port. Through their outline business cases, the currently successful bids will now need to articulate their overarching strategic vision. This will involve significant development of the content of the original bid.

Dirprwy Lywydd, unfortunately, the Newport free-port bid was unsuccessful. I know this will be very disappointing news for all involved, and I do appreciate the huge amount of resource that went into the development of their bid. We are keen to build on that in any way that we can outside of the free-port process. I continue to recognise the pivotal role that the semiconductor industry plays in the area and how crucial that sector is to both the Welsh and UK economy, now and in the future. It was a particular focus of my time in California last week, and I will be remaking this case to the UK Government, who urgently need to bring forward a funded strategy for the semiconductor sector. This would deliver a major boost for Newport, a city that with global standing in this sector.

Dirprwy Lywydd, people and businesses across the UK remain under intense pressure from the cost-of-living crisis and subdued economic growth. This is all in addition to the ever present geographical inequality, which is why a place-based policy like free ports is an important lever for the Welsh Government to have as part of our economic tool kit. We worked extensively with the UK Government to ensure that the Welsh free-port programme was designed to help deliver our ambitions for fair work. This includes engaging the voice of workers and their trade unions in future governance arrangements, alongside driving a prosperous, green economic future for Wales. Free ports can act as drivers of growth and employment in their areas and, collectively, the bidders estimate that their proposals could create as many as 20,000 high-quality new jobs.

As well as maximising the growth potential of the local area, we also set out that proposals needed to embody the values in the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 and ensure dignity and fairness for people are at their core. Prioritising the social and environmental needs of Wales and building a more prosperous and resilient well-being economy were essential. That is why the Welsh Government's economic contract was included in the prospectus. This is another distinctive feature of the Welsh model, based on our values and priorities.

Dirprwy Lywydd, I would like to note again the constructive engagement and working relationship that has been developed between the UK Government and the Welsh Government on free ports. Through that engagement with the UK Government, we have been clear that any proposals for investment zones in Wales should follow the same principles and design as outlined for Welsh free ports. Investment zones too would need to align with our policies on fair work and net zero, as well as representing value for money for the people of Wales. I look forward to working with all partners as we move to the next phase of work and to exploring the opportunity to turn the current choice and the next phase of bidding into a catalyst for major investment in high-quality jobs and, of course, a just transition.