UK Trade 'Key For Scotland Jobs'

13 August 2014, 07:55 | Updated: 13 August 2014, 08:17

More than one in 10 jobs in Scotland are linked to trade with the UK, according to new analysis from the Treasury.

The UK Government department is publishing a report which it says demonstrates the importance of the UK's integrated single market for employment north of the border.

Its analysis is based on research by Professor Brian Ashcroft of Strathclyde Business School.

The Treasury says that 270,000 Scottish jobs are linked to trade with the UK. It says more than 100,000 of these are done by women, while more than one in three are done by under-35s.

Most of these jobs - 180,000 - are in the services sector, including 43,000 in financial services, the analysis states.

Meanwhile total Scottish exports are worth £72 billion a year, with #51 billion worth of goods exported to the rest of the UK.

"The economic evidence shows that a borderless UK is a key part of Scotland's economic success,'' the Treasury says.

"The analysis demonstrates how important the UK's fully integrated single market is for the security of jobs and livelihoods in Scotland.''

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie will comment on the analysis of the jobs during a speech in Glenrothes, Fife, to Better Together activists.

He is expected to say: "These jobs wouldn't go on day one of independence, but they would be in danger even before that.

"The sheer numbers show how connected we are as a family of nations and how much we support each other to grow.

"The combination of the ability of people in Scotland and the opportunity that the United Kingdom presents means we can record such progress then hope and believe we can achieve more.

"I'm not going to put over 250,000 jobs at risk; bring investment in renewables shuddering to a halt; see our universities' research stall. If Alex Salmond thinks I'm going to lie down whilst he puts all of these things on the line then he can think again.''

He will add: "Our ambition is to build on the 270,000 jobs that depend on trade with the rest of the UK, not risk that number by putting burdens and barriers in front of companies that want to work across the border.''