CBI boss urges Scots firms to export more

The president of the CBI was today set to urge Scottish firms to step up their exporting efforts, noting that just 70 companies are responsible for half of the nation’s exports.

Paul Drechsler – due to address CBI Scotland’s annual lunch in Edinburgh – was also expected to highlight the need for urgent progress in the Brexit talks together with improvements in education, innovation and infrastructure to power productivity and help push up living standards north of the Border. In front of an expected audience of more than 200 business leaders, Drechsler was set to argue that evidence must be put before ideology to protect Scottish firms and jobs as the UK leaves the EU.

In his speech, he was expected to say: “Scotland’s exports are worth £79 billion – £50bn of that goes to the rest of the UK. And with exports worth over £12bn, the EU remains Scotland’s largest global trading partner.

“Business is committed to making a success of Brexit. And our job is to say, loudly and clearly, what making a success looks like. And what success actually looks like is what the UK government has already said it wants to achieve. Frictionless trade with the EU, regulatory certainty, increased trade with the rest of the world.

“So business needs the three Ds on Brexit – that’s decisions, detail and delivery.

“We must prioritise our relationship with the EU – 48 per cent of UK export goods go to the EU and 78 per cent of UK exporters sell into the EU. Protecting that trade has to be our number one priority.” 0 Paul Drechsler was due to speak in Edinburgh