Scottish Deputy First Minister responds to GDP statistics for October

Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said:

“Following growth in the last two quarters, these figures show a stall for Scotland in October which reflects the picture for the UK as a whole and uncertainty in the lead up to the UK Budget.

“The Scottish Government has unveiled a Budget for economic growth, which will in turn put money into people's pockets. This includes tripling capital investment in the offshore wind supply chain, allocating over £320 million for enterprise agencies to attract, start and support businesses and providing a further £200 million to the Scottish National Investment Bank to create jobs and attract investment.

“However, I recognise that many people and businesses are still struggling with the cost of living and inflation, while also concerned about the impact of measures announced by the UK Government such as the hike to employers' National Insurance contributions.”

Background

Monthly GDP Estimates for October - gov.scot