Scotland’s trade deficit grows to £3.001 billion

Exports growth of £1.09 billion in the first nine months of 2016 was outstripped by a £1.2 billion increase into the value of imports. Exports for the third quarter were valued at £18.8 billion compared to imports worth £21.8 billion.

The figures - published as part of the quarterly national accounts - are for the onshore economy only and do not include the North Sea oil and gas sector.

Economist John McLaren said the trade gap could reach a record level for 2016 as a whole.

Mr McLaren said: “The Scottish trade balance for 2016, while improving a little in Q3, is still likely to worsen by over £3 billion from 2015 and to a record level.”