Scotland's International Goods Trade: Quarter 3 2023
This report contains Scotland's trade in goods data from the latest release of HMRC's Regional Trade Statistics (RTS).
Compared to the previous year, the value of Scotland’s goods exports to non-EU countries increased by 1.6% (up £227 million) to £14.4 billion in the year ending September 2023. This was a smaller proportional increase than for the UK overall, which saw a 5.2% increase over this period. When oil and gas are excluded, the value of Scotland’s goods exports increased by 5.1%, which is more comparable to the 6.8% increase in the value of UK goods exports to non-EU countries.
Table 5. The value of goods exports to non-EU countries by UK nation, £ billions, year ending (YE) September (Q3) 2019, 2022, 2023
|
UK Nation |
YE Q3 2019 |
YE Q3 2022 |
YE Q3 2023 |
YE Q3 2019 v YE Q3 2023 (%) |
YE Q3 2022 v YE Q3 2023 (%) |
|
Scotland |
17.0 |
14.2 |
14.4 |
-15.3% |
1.6% |
|
Scotland (exc. Oil & Gas) |
12.4 |
13.5 |
14.1 |
14.4% |
5.1% |
|
England |
125.3 |
128.7 |
135.8 |
8.5% |
5.6% |
|
Wales |
6.9 |
8.3 |
8.3 |
19.4% |
0.1% |
|
Northern Ireland |
3.8 |
3.1 |
3.7 |
-2.8% |
18.0% |
|
United Kingdom |
172.1 |
172.4 |
181.3 |
5.4% |
5.2% |
|
United Kingdom (exc. Oil & Gas) |
161.3 |
163.5 |
174.6 |
8.3% |
6.8% |
Source: HMRC RTS, Q3 2023
Figure 7. Scotland saw comparable growth in exports to non-EU countries in percentage terms compared to the UK as a whole when oil and gas are excluded
Percentage change in goods exports to non-EU countries by UK nation and UK overall, in the year ending September 2023 compared with the year ending September 2022
Source: HMRC RTS, Q3 2023
Figure 8. Since the pandemic, the value of oil and gas exports does not seem to be driving trends in exports to non-EU destinations
Value (£ billions) of Scotland’s goods exports to non-EU countries (quarterly), 2018 Q1 to 2023 Q3
Source: HMRC RTS, Q3 2023
In the year ending September 2023 compared to the previous year, the biggest drivers of Scotland’s increase in the value of goods exports to non-EU countries were growth in the value of drinks exports (up £167 million, 4.5%) and power generating machinery and equipment exports (up £405 million, 21.2%), which were the top two exported products during this period in value terms. Notably however both of these products actually decreased in volume terms, as did the rest of the top five exported products to non-EU destinations. None of the top ten exported products to non-EU destinations experienced a decrease in value over this period.
The largest decreases in value over this period were in exports of non-ferrous metals (down £642 million, 76.1%) which has dropped out of the top ten since the last quarter, and oil (down £453 million, 63.8%). There was in fact an increase in the volume of oil exports to non-EU destinations over this period (up 15.7%).
Figure 9. Scotland’s goods exports to non-EU countries were dominated by exports of drinks, which accounted for over a quarter of Scotland’s goods exports to non-EU countries
Scotland's top ten exported products to non-EU countries, in the year ending Q3 2023
Source: HMRC RTS, Q3 2023
Table 6. The value of Scotland’s top ten exported goods to non-EU countries, £ billions, year ending (YE) September (Q3) 2019, 2022, 2023
|
Product |
YE Q3 2019 |
YE Q3 2022 |
YE Q3 2023 |
YE Q3 2019 v YE Q3 2023 (%) |
YE Q3 2022 v YE Q3 2023 (%) |
|
Drink |
3.2 |
3.7 |
3.9 |
21.7% |
4.5% |
|
Power generating machinery |
2.2 |
1.9 |
2.3 |
4.6% |
21.2% |
|
General industrial machinery |
0.8 |
0.9 |
1.0 |
17.4% |
3.9% |
|
Professional & scientific instruments |
0.6 |
0.6 |
0.7 |
14.5% |
1.7% |
|
Chemical materials & products |
0.3 |
0.5 |
0.6 |
81.7% |
22.8% |
|
Medicinal & pharmaceutical products |
0.4 |
0.5 |
0.5 |
40.0% |
16.3% |
|
Other transport equipment |
0.5 |
0.5 |
0.5 |
-1.4% |
6.5% |
|
Electrical machinery & appliances |
0.4 |
0.4 |
0.5 |
17.0% |
20.8% |
|
Specialised machinery |
0.4 |
0.3 |
0.4 |
10.5% |
27.3% |
|
Manufactures of metal |
0.3 |
0.3 |
0.4 |
26.0% |
26.2% |
Source: HMRC RTS, Q3 2023
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