Global Connections Survey - Definitions
Exports
Exports were defined as direct sales to customers based
outside the UK, including those to visitors to Scotland.
Figures exclude VAT, and exports of goods are on free on
board basis (exclude overseas freight and insurance costs).
Therefore goods which are sold to elsewhere in the UK and
subsequently exported will not be included in these
figures.
Industry Classifications
Companies have been classified under the Standard
Industrial Classifications (SIC 92 for 2002 results and SIC
03 for 2003 results), defined by the activity of their
largest local unit in Scotland based on the IDBR. More
information on the SICs can be found here:
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/methods_quality/sic/contents.asp
Oil and Gas
Under the European System of Accounts (ESA95), the UK
Continental Shelf is allocated to the extra-regio region
(which also includes foreign embassies and military bases
etc.). Because we have tried as far as possible to follow
National Accounting principles, exports from the offshore
oil & gas industry that are landed at Scottish
terminals have not been included. In terms of the Standard
Industrial Classifications, this means that SIC 11.1 has
been excluded from the analysis. This is consistent with
the approach taken with the Scottish quarterly GDP index,
ONS estimates of Scottish GVA, GERS and the Scottish
input-output tables.
Transfer Pricing
Inter-company sales from the Scottish branch(es) of a
company to its overseas branch(es), have been treated as an
export in this survey. The value of inter-company sales
will have been set by the companies at a level they specify
and this may not reflect the true market value of the
product/service.