Figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show
Scotland’s trading performance as the strongest of the UK
nations.
The experimental statistics provide estimates of the value of
international imports and exports and total trade from 2016 to
2021 from each area of the UK.
They show that:
- In 2021 Scotland had the highest trade surplus, at £20.9
billion, of all the four UK nations and the UK as a whole
- The estimated value of Scotland’s trade surplus in 2021 was
at its highest point in the five years measured
Commenting on the findings, Trade Minister said:
“The ONS statistics paint a very positive picture of Scotland’s
trade performance over this period.
“These figures - while experimental and open to revision - are
testament to the resilience and quality of Scottish businesses,
and highlight the success of our export growth plan, which was
launched in 2019 with the goal of increasing the value of exports
from to 25% of Scotland’s GDP.
“Exports boost the economy, drive growth and create jobs. They
are a key element of our National Strategy for Economic
Transformation and we continue to develop Scotland’s world class
expertise in areas such as life sciences, digitech and food and
drink through initiatives such as the Scottish Government’s
recently launched Innovation Strategy.”
BACKGROUND
International trade in UK
nations, regions and cities: 2021
Estimates of trade as published by ONS and the Scottish
Government are measured by different methodologies, meaning that
they are not comparable. An explanation of the different
methodologies has been published online.
