UK exports soar in every region

Exports of goods have risen in every region since the start of the year as the weakened pound boosts business, figures showed yesterday.

sales of English goods were up 14.1 per cent to £241.1billion in the first nine months of 2017 – while scottish exports jumped 19.9 per cent to £28billion. Welsh exports rose 18.9 per cent to £16.4billion and sales of goods made in Northern Ireland were up 13.3 per cent to £8.5billion.

The HMRC report underlines how the fall in the value of sterling since the Brexit vote has turbo-charged business in factories.

The pound has weakened against a host of currencies including the Us dollar and the euro – making UK goods cheaper for overseas buyers. International Trade secretary liam Fox said: ‘Every part of the UK is benefiting from increased trade with the world. More than a year since the EU referendum, exports of goods across England, Wales, scotland and Northern Ireland are all up.’ The top destination for English goods was the Us, followed by Germany and France.

Meanwhile, the Netherlands was the top market for scottish goods and Germany bought the most Welsh goods. Northern Ireland and the republic of Ireland were the biggest buyers of each other’s products. dr Fox faced criticism last month after he claimed businesses were not doing enough to sell their wares overseas. But the leading Brexiteer struck a more upbeat note yesterday, hailing ‘a boost to trade post-Brexit’ amid overseas demand for English-made cars, whisky from scotland, dairy products from Wales and machinery from Northern Ireland.

Brexit campaigner John longworth, the former head of the British Chambers of Commerce, said: ‘The prospect of Brexit and our competitive currency has provided a boost ... it is vital we don’t throw away our fantastic future by capitulating to EU demands for Brexit in name only.’