Scotland's Economy

  • Scottish Government response to Scottish Chambers of Commerce Quarterly Economic Indicator: Q3 2019

    11th October 2019 by

    Commenting on the latest Scottish Chambers of Commerce Quarterly Economic Indicator, Economy Secretary Derek Mackay said: “It’s clear from this latest report that Brexit uncertainty, and in particular the threat of ‘no deal’, is having an increasingly negative impact on business confidence. “As a responsible government, our enterprise and skills agencies continue to work with...

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  • Scottish Business Pledge – Good for Business. Good for Scotland.

    10th October 2019 by

    The refreshed Scottish Business Pledge has been launched today following a review in 2018. Making a commitment to the Business Pledge promotes fairness, equality, opportunity and innovation in Scotland, which in turn creates greater economic success and sustainable, inclusive growth. The reinvigorated Business Pledge has been restructured to better support businesses seeking to make a...

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  • Investing in Scotland’s future skills – Business Minister Jamie Hepburn

    10th September 2019 by

    Today I was delighted to visit Whitespace in Edinburgh and learn about their innovative approach within the creative industry sector and their commitment to upskilling and training their workforce. Their investment in their employees is evident in the quality of their work and the culture of their business. This type of business is central to...

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  • Strong and inclusive labour market

    13th August 2019 by

    Commenting on the latest ONS labour market statistics update, which cover April 2019 to June 2019, Business Minister Jamie Hepburn said: “These latest results show that Scotland is seeing the benefits of our Labour Market Strategy – driving inclusive and sustainable economic growth through delivering fair and good quality work across our society. “Scotland’s employment...

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  • Internet of Things at Crookston Castle

    9th August 2019 by

    As Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity, I was invited to visit historic Crookston Castle this week to learn about the Internet of Things (IoT) and see some of this exciting new technology in practice. The Internet of Things is about connecting physical devices, like sensors and actuators (i.e., devices that do things, such...

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  • Response to OBR ‘no deal’ warning

    18th July 2019 by

    Commenting on the warning from the Office of Budget Responsibility that a ‘no deal’ UK EU Exit could lead to a UK recession, Finance Secretary Derek Mackay said: “The Office of Budget Responsibility confirms what the Scottish Government have been warning for months that a no deal Brexit has the potential to push the economy...

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  • EU continues to be key for Scottish exports

    6th June 2019 by

    The value of Scottish goods exported to the EU has increased by 18.6% in the last financial year, according to new statistics. The publication of HMRC’s latest Regional Trade Statistics shows the importance of the EU market to Scotland. Commenting on the statistics, Trade Minister Ivan McKee said: “These are very positive figures and show...

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  • Scotland and the Netherlands: European partners

    24th May 2019 by

    Despite the ongoing uncertainty over EU exit, the EU remains incredibly important to Scotland’s trading potential. And as our second largest export market, one country which is of particular significance is the Netherlands. Scottish exports to the Netherlands were estimated to be worth £2.5 billion in 2017 – 7.6% of all international exports – and...

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  • This week: 29/3/19

    29th March 2019 by

    Research and Development statistics Record amounts are being spent on research and development, according to the latest Scottish Government statistics. Gross Expenditure on Research and Development (GERD) in 2017, one of the key measures of innovation, saw around £2.5 billion spent, predominately by businesses and higher education institutions. Read more about Research and Development spend...

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  • Scotland-Norway: An important trading relationship

    19th March 2019 by

    Despite the uncertainty over Brexit, Scotland remains open for business and this is something we want the world to know. One country which continues to be of significant importance is Norway so I am in Oslo this week to help build on our strong relationship and continue to develop our economic, political and cultural connections....

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