Listen
Minister cautious about latest export figures
03/10/2007
Enterprise Minister Jim Mather today gave a cautious welcome to new figures which estimate that Scotland's manufactured exports increased by 4.4 per cent in the second quarter of 2007.
Manufactured export sales grew by 3.6 per cent over the year to the second quarter of 2007, with engineering, metals and chemicals & refined petroleum as the main drivers of increased manufactured export sales in the latest quarter.
However, there was a decline in the volume of exports from the drink, wood, paper and publishing and food and tobacco industries.
Mr Mather said:
"I am encouraged by these latest figures, but there remains a great deal still to do. It is important not to be complacent and lose sight of the fact that growth has been modest in previous quarters.
"The Scottish Government recognises that Scotland's economy has underperformed historically and we must do more to give Scotland a competitive edge. We must aspire to the kind of performance achieved by countries such as Ireland, Norway and Iceland - the arc of prosperity that surrounds us.
"Reform of the enterprise networks, outlined in parliament just last week, as well as other economic policies, will ultimately help us achieve our goal of increased, sustainable economic growth.
"And the Government Economic Strategy, to be published in the next few weeks, will help the whole of Scotland focus on raising Scotland's growth rate to the UK level by 2011."