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Scottish economy shows continued growth: statistics

Xinhua, October 8, 2015 Adjust font size:

The Scottish economy rose by 1.9 percent in the second quarter of 2015 compared to the same period last year, official figures published on Wednesday showed.

Total output in the economy grew 0.1 percent for the period April to June 2015, and 1.9 percent compared to the same quarter last year, according to British National Statistics data.

The Scottish gross domestic product (GDP) had grown for 12 consecutive quarters and output is now 3.0 percent above its pre-recession peak.

Over the quarter, the construction sector grew by 3.5 percent, driven by public infrastructure as well as repair and maintenance, while the electricity and gas supply sector also saw a healthy growth of 2.4 percent, reflecting increased capacity alongside favorable generation conditions.

Scottish Deputy First Minister John Swinney hailed the statistics showing continued growth in Scotland's economy. However, he addressed challenges in some sectors as a result of several factors, including subdued demand in the oil and gas sector and a normalizing of some very strong trends in recent periods.

"The annual growth rate moderated a little compared to the very strong growth seen in recent periods but remains healthy by historical standards. The Scottish economy has now seen three years of continuous expansion and has shown considerable resilience in the face of a number of external and domestic challenges," he noted.

Swinney stressed the Scottish government was committed to securing economic growth and promoting Scotland as the best place to do business. Endit