Question reference: S6W-09289
- Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 23 June 2022
-
Current status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 12 July 2022
Question
To ask the Scottish Government which country is Scotland’s largest international trading partner.
Answer
Latest HMRC (Regional Trade Statistics) RTS statistics show that in 2021, based on total trade in goods (imports plus exports), Scotland’s largest trading partner was the USA at £5.5 billion. Note this data only includes trade in goods and not services and excludes oil and gas (SITC 3 – Mineral fuels).
Rank | Partner country | Value (£ billion) | % of total |
1 | UNITED STATES | 5.5 | 14.40% |
2 | CHINA | 4.2 | 11.00% |
3 | NETHERLANDS | 2.5 | 6.40% |
4 | FRANCE | 2.4 | 6.30% |
5 | GERMANY | 2.4 | 6.30% |
6 | NORWAY | 1.6 | 4.10% |
7 | ITALY | 1.2 | 3.20% |
8 | IRISH REPUBLIC | 1.2 | 3.10% |
9 | POLAND | 1.2 | 3.00% |
10 | BELGIUM | 1.1 | 2.90% |
[Source: HMRC Regional Trade Statistics 2022 Q1]
Data from Export Statistics Scotland 2019 supports this, showing that the USA was Scotland’s largest export destination in 2019.