Press release: UK Market Supports Half A Million Scottish Jobs

More than half a million Scottish jobs – around one in four – depend on Scotland’s trade with the rest of the UK, new research published today reveals. That is more than four times as many jobs supported by EU trade.

The figures from the Fraser of Allander Institute show:

• around 530,000 jobs in Scotland (nearly one in four of all jobs) are supported by demand for Scottish goods and services from the rest of the UK;
• more than 175,000 jobs in Scotland are supported by export demand from the rest of the world; and
• around 125,000 jobs in Scotland supported by export demand from the rest of the EU.

Secretary of State for Scotland David Mundell said:

More than half a million Scottish jobs depend on being able to trade freely within the UK. These figures demonstrate clearly the value of the UK market to Scottish businesses – which is worth four times that of the EU market. As we leave the EU, it is vital we maintain the integrity of the UK market and prevent any new barriers to doing business across the UK.

We have seen recent worrying figures showing the Scottish economy contracting, compared to the UK economy growing overall. So, at this time, it is more important than ever that Scotland’s two governments work together for the benefit of people in Scotland. That is what people in Scotland expect, and to what I am committed.

The UK Government is working closely with the Scottish Government to help boost the Scottish economy. That includes our new industrial strategy, UK City Deals and a £1.2 billion funding boost for Scotland.

Around two thirds of Scottish jobs supported by exports to the rest of the UK are in the services sector (more than 328,000 jobs), and just under one third are in manufacturing and construction (more than 150,000 jobs).

The new research confirms the importance of Scotland’s trade with the rest of the UK, the value of which is worth four times that of the country’s exports to the EU. Scotland sells goods and services worth £49.8 billion to the rest of the UK, and £12.3 billion to the EU. Today’s figures show that more than four times as many Scottish jobs are supported by UK trade compared to EU trade.

The research, ‘Employment supported by Scottish Export Demand’, commissioned by the UK Government, is available from the Fraser of Allander Institute.

The Scottish Government paper, Export Statistics Scotland, published earlier this year shows the value of Scottish exports.

The latest Scottish GDP figures, published by the Scottish Government earlier this month, showed that the output of the Scottish economy contracted by 0.2 per cent during the latest quarter.

The UK Government’s Industrial Strategy was published earlier this year and sets out how we are building an industrial strategy to deliver a high-skilled, competitive economy that benefits people throughout the UK.